Ellen Degeneres announced earlier this month that she’s done with her daytime talk show and will be calling it quits after next season. Now, multiple media outlets are reporting that she and her wife, Portia de Rossi, are plotting to leave the country soon after.
“It’s either Australia or bust for Portia and Ellen,” a source tells New Idea magazine. “There really is no choice in the matter.”
De Rossi was born in Australia and his duel citizenship both there and in the United States. The power couple, who were married in 2008, are reportedly looking for a “quieter life” on Victoria’s posh Mornington Peninsula, just an hour from Melbourne.
In other Ellen news, rumor has singer Kelly Clarkson is being considered to take over her coveted afternoon time slot. TMZ reports that Clarkson has always been NBC’s “heir apparent” to DeGeneres, although Tiffany Haddish is also being considered.
DeGeneres revealed she would be ending her once-successful daytime talk show following allegations last summer of a toxic workplace, bullying, and harassment, though she insisted that wasn’t why she was walking away.
In an interview with Savanah Guthrie, she said she is still “surprised” and deeply hurt by the criticism she received, which she feels was “too coordinated” and deeply rooted in misogyny.
“I have to say — if nobody else was saying it — it was really interesting because I’m a woman, and it did feel very misogynistic,” she said.
“I don’t have a thick skin. I mean, I’m extremely sensitive.” -Ellen DeGeneres pic.twitter.com/lOhBTjryCv
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 13, 2021
DeGeneres and De Rossi have not issued any comment on their rumored plans to relocate Down Under, although they did just drop almost $15 million buying back a sprawling ranch in Montecito, California that they sold for $11 million in 2018.
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Cam
It will be interesting, she isn’t really famous down there, so I seriously doubt the Aussies will kiss her A** the way she’s used to in the U.S.
Maybe Portia wants to get down there, get residency for Ellen, then file for divorce under Australian law.
MacAdvisor
Why would Ellen need Australian residency for Portia to file for divorce in Australia if Portia has both citizenship there and establishes residency. One has to be separated for at least 12 months before filing for divorce, not something California requires. I assume there is a prenup in place and it would be valid in California and Australia. I don’t see any advantage to Portia and a year’s delay on top of it.
Jack Meoff
Ellen is very famous in Australia and her show airs here every day. Regardless we would not be kissing her butt because frankly we do not kiss any celebrities butts. We are not as fame obsessed as American’s seem to be.
Cam
@MacAdvisor
If Ellen gains citizenship there and the laws are more favorable to Portia, it is easier to argue in court that the divorce should be tried under Australian law.
Also Australia has several rules that America may not. For example, in Australia it is the law, that for the Pre-nup to be binding each party had to be represented by completely separate legal advisors at the time. So if Ellen’s lawyers drew it up and Portia signed it, Portia could argue, once they were both in Australia it should be thrown out if she used the same lawyer as Ellen.
Also Australia will throw out a Pre-nup for these reasons that could apply, the first because the money has skyrocketed since they got together, the second if they adopt or conceive..
The first is…
Have circumstances changed so much since the agreement was made that it is impracticable for the agreement, or parts of it to be carried out,
The Second is…
There was a ‘material change in circumstances’ relating to the care of a child of the marriage and if upholding the agreement would result in hardship for the party caring for that child
winemaker
One more sweet thing i’ d forgotten to mention: Since she’s still a US citizen and if she has any property here in the USA ,even though she relocates overseas, she ;ll be screwed for the taxes unless she renounces her American citizenship and divests herself of all her American property and holdings.. Serves her right. Sadly the crew ‘ll be out of a jobs but no loss really
MacAdvisor
The divorce can take place in Australia under Australian law even if Ellen is not even an Australian resident as long as Portia is there a year to establish local residency, given she already has citizenship.
The requirement is not that both parties have separate legal representation, but they have adequate time and resources to have separate representation if they so choose. Portia may not be Ellen rich, but she’s got a nickel or two. She can afford her own lawyer.
Yes, if Ellen gives up her citizenship in the US and manages, somehow, to get rid of her US assets, she could be free of US taxes, but, given Ellen has residual income and other none liquid assets, getting rid of them would be a tall order and generate a large capital gains tax. Australia has a rather high income tax rate and other taxes, so I don’t see advantage over the US. Moreover, if Ellen EVER returned to the US and the US had not accepted her rejection of citizenship, she’d be liable for all the back taxes. Getting off the tax hook is not as easy as you think.
Again, don’t see ANY real advantage for Ellen to give up her US citizenship.
Invader7
Be gone Ellen.. Your 15 minutes were over a loooooooong time ago.. Tiffany Haddish to replace Ellen.. . Kelly Clarkson tries too hard, is corny, hokey and lame.. And it shows…
MissTerri
The headline originally said “flee” but I suspect the lawyers would have had a field day with that! Hi-LAR-ious!!!
Sqwoah
It’s so satisfying to watch people learn that you can’t just do whatever you want and then blame the consequences on misogyny, homophobia or racism
Mr. Stadnick
“Flee” how hyperbolic. Emigrate is more like it.
Harley
“ De Rossi was born in Australia and his duel citizenship both there and in the United States”. I didn’t know De Rossi is transgender now. When did he transition?
MissTerri
Don’t you know, Dear, this is a very high-quality news site!!!!
exgoalie
“De Rossi was born in Australia and his duel citizenship”… Are De Portia’s DUAL citizenships DUELing it out??? Um… any editors work at this site who MAY know the difference in “duel” & “dual”??
man5996853
If you are going to critique misused words, you might want to learn the proper usage of “in” and “between”.
ggontarek
Nothing but negative Nancy’s on here. Do any of you EVER have anything good to say about ANYTHING? Stop being so negative.
barryaksarben
I agree. You would not know there were so many living saints
Hdtex
She’s leaving
GOOD!
Cam
Here’s a deal, I’ll say something positive about Ellen after she apologizes to the people she had fired for looking at her at work, the people she screamed out randomly out in the studio lot and others who’s lives and finances she impacted by her abusive behavior.
Maybe you should ask her to not be so negative.
Mike Hunt
Nancys, not Nancy’s …
AxelDC
It’s really sad to see how far Ellen has fallen, but she’s revealed who she really is. Instead of trying to reconcile herself with the public and with her staff, she keeps digging in deeper and making herself the victim.
She can take her wife and her millions to Aussieland if she wants. I’m no longer a fan and no longer an admirer. She screwed her staff, which destroyed her public image, and at the end of the day, that’s all she ever had.
eireapparent
I agree with her comment that it was all too coordinated. As were a lot of these cancel culture attacks recently. Some seem more warranted than others, but it’s essentially mob justice and that’s problematic. Very little in the way of proof is ever offered and few are concerned about how these erupt suddenly after years of silence. They smell blood in the water and that’s all they need. If we can do easily believe that online operations by foreign powers can have real consequences at the polls, why aren’t we more suspicious of these scenarios? Don’t get me wrong, I feel it’s time for Ellen to depart but that’s only because her show has been on way too long.
Cam
Except for the fact that multiple people all had stories of abuse and had been reporting them for a while. Additionally, Ellen claims it was sexism but leaves out the fact that a huge number of complaints against her were from women on her staff.
Here’s a thought, maybe so many people had things to say about her because she has been abusive for a long long time to a lot of people.
You had celebs like Brad Garrett and the director Lea Thompson who backed up stories, they have nothing to gain going after another celeb.
Just looking at the types of pranks Ellen likes to play can show she has a mean streak. Frankly I’m surprised that people, with no evidence seem to want to believe her.
hamoboy
I agree about the coordination. I wasn’t surprised by revelations from Ellen staff that she was a nightmare to work with behind the scenes, but I was surprised that people took it so personally and were so outraged. Hollywood is essentially Assholes Anonymous, most people with any kind of power have carte blanche to be assholes. That Ellen was being punished for it before a litany of old men was what told me this was targeted in some way.
At the same time, I’m not gonna waste oxygen defending Ellen, except that I expect this same energy for other celebrities, especially male ones around Ellen’s age.
dhmonarch89
if I had her money- I’d leave Trump world, too.
SFMike
If I had her money I would be getting out of the self destructing fail state the US has become too.
barryaksarben
yes
barryaksarben
I was never a great fan but I think people need to look at what it takes to headline a talk show. Johhny Carson was considered anti- social because he did not want anything to do with anyone after each show and went home. Rosie went from being everyones favorite darling to raging bitch and many of the late night men were men who are always allowed to be pricks but not ELLEN. It is the postition not the person. Yes, she probably acted terrible but Im sure the pressure got to her not to be so forgiving but stop the BASHING
Cam
So let’s see, when she abuses and fires people wrecking their finances it is no problem, but when people call her out for illegal, toxic cruel behavior it’s “Bashing”. (Eye Roll).
Josh in OR
“I treated my employees like garbage while sucking up to some of the worst humans alive for ratings. But any and all criticisms against me are based in misogyny, not my actions, because…reasons.”
Fahd
She’s accumulated $500 million (half-billion), and the resources to have publicists whose offices are defending her on line. Misogyny, my as*. The rich get richer, etc.
I’ve known what she was about for years and haven’t been a fan since her first show. As long as she keeps paying her US taxes as an American citizen, I could care less about her whereabouts. Good riddance…!
twomen4u
As a 75 year old gay man, I never found her funny or even entertaining. As the country western song goes, “thank God and Greyhound she is gone.” Nuff said.
Joshooeerr
Heads up: this report is from “New Idea”, an Australian tabloid magazine with even less credibility than the National Enquirer, if that’s possible. The mag has repeatedly been referred to and chastised by the Australian Press Council for publishing entirely fabricated celebrity stories, and they’ve been sued over their bogus stories more times than anyone can remember. “Ellen and Portia moving to Australia” is just today’s edition of their celebrity fiction. As a rule, if New Idea prints something it’s almost guaranteed to be false.
Seth
Ellen has plenty of friends left in her tax bracket, like her pal Dubya. She’ll be fine. Next.
BoomerMyles
Sounds like a fake reason to leave for Australia. I can’t think of a posher and quietier place than Montecito where she and even Oprah currently live.
MarkyMarkNipple
She did her HBO comedy show / small tour about how she’s tired of acting like a nice person and then acts all surprised when it comes out that she’s not a nice person. Just own your shit, you played a role to make a shit ton of money
jackscott
Maybe she should just leave now!
PaJoVa
Exactly! If she is SO miserable, why would she wait until the end of next season? If she is not contractually obligated, I would say… finish this season out and then call it a day.
nmharleyrider
No great loss there. l Good riddance.
winemaker
Finally some good news and good bye to this toxic ultra liberal holier than thou piece of trash. Now finally we’ll be free from her daily dose of drama. I wonder where she’ll go, hopefully one of the socialist paradises like china or russia as she’s a socialist, makes sense. In either of these so called ‘workers paradises’, she’ll be poor and struggle like the rest of her comrades. One thing these hollyweird overpaid and talentless bags of gas don’t realize that with socialism, they’ll have to turn in their fortunes to the government to immigrate but hey she’ll be among like minded who struggle to survive. They won’t have their money, that’ll go to the government elite who live like kings.
Cam
It’s adorable that the right wing troll account tries to claim that a George Bush friend, who tried to break a union on her show and defends anti-GBTQ bigots is an “Ultra Liberal”.
You tried.
nipperdawg
So no one caught the error?
“De Rossi was born in Australia and HIS duel citizenship both there and in the United States. The power couple, who were married in 2008, are reportedly looking for a “quieter life” on Victoria’s posh Mornington Peninsula, just an hour from Melbourne”
mailliw110
Just the nitpickers.
blackhook
Goodbye Ellen… and good riddance!
ScottOnEarth
All of this hate for Ellen shows how shallow and miserable the general public is. Including the comments on this page. Her show was incredibly successful for longer than almost any talk show and she did a lot of good things to help a lot of people in need. But, oh, no!….she was maybe mean or aloof to some overly-sensitive attention-seekers, so she has to now be obliterated. Ellen is smart and made a fortune, so she no longer has to worry about what the ridiculous, fickle public thinks.
Cam
No, what it shows is that after years of the B.S. Narrative that bosses get to be vicious monsters and any employee that doesn’t like it is a whiner and should leave, people have finally had enough.
azjeff17
Why wait? Do it now.
Mike Hunt
Two words: who cares.
Cozmo2
By by bitch.
mdrguy1
I’ve always loved Ellen, and though I admit there’s an element of cruelty to her humor (the pranks especially), there’s also a streak of warmth and good humor, and a genuine appreciation for the quirkiness or people. Some more than others. If the reports of her behind-the-scenes behavior are even half true, then she needs to atone for that and be better moving forward. And she should stop making excuses, own up to it and be better, in DEEDS not just words. But I refuse to dump on her like so many in the LGBTQ+ community have. She was a trailblazer, and for that, I will always appreciate and honor her.
lykeitiz
Yes, Absolutely 100%! The cancel gays have short memories and zero appreciation. Ellen’s bravery opened many doors.
Cam
@lykeitiz
Just curious, which illegal behaviors are ok if somebody did something in their past that is good? Ellen broke ground sure, then cozied up to Bush, defended people who made anti-LGBTQ remarks and apparently illegally abused multiple employees.
I can be happy she did what she did whiteout excusing her behavior. And sweetie, nobody uses “Cancel” outside of Fox News and Hollywood P.R. offices.
illuminati K
She needs to be sacrificed is why she’s leaving.
ryanss
Godspeed. Bye.
Reth
Spent a lot of my childhood on the Mornington Peninsula as my grandmother, great-uncle and great grandmother lived there for a time. While it’s true that PARTS of it are posh, it’s realllllllly not true of the majority.
Also, I believe Portia grew up on the BELLARINE Peninsula, right on the complete other side of Port Phillip Bay. If she’s still got family in the area, I’m guessing she’d be closer to them and not a 4-hour drive away.
While Ellen is certainly famous in Australia, we have a thing called “tall poppy syndrome” that she definitely would not enjoy. I’d take this with a giant grain of salt.
scotty
who?
Nosso Crankee
Stupid See You Next Tuesday’s likeability took an explosive nosedive when it preached to the increasingly targeted, marginalized, and vilified gay community when she whined shrilly that midget mutant Kevin Hart should be forgiven his violent homophobia and ongoing targeting of the gay community and just “be nice”.
What an absolutely oblivious c**t, protected from the violence the non-millionare portion of the gay community must deal with every day.
humble charlie
I only thought she was funny as a fish in Finding Nemo. Being a fish humanized her.
I still feel sorry for Portia having to look at Ellen and her thing everyday. But then I think most people have a sell-by date (usually from 3 months to a year) when it comes to physical intimacy. After that they usually either become just friends or deadly enemies.
Why spend time with someone where you dread having to have sex with them?