Red Flags In Ellen DeGeneres & Portia De Rossi's Relationship We Just Can't Ignore

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After a hard couple of years for dethroned comedian Ellen DeGeneres, the tension might have started overflowing into her relationship with her wife, Portia de Rossi. Rumors that the couple has been struggling never seem to cease, with sources close to DeGeneres and de Rossi divulging personal tidbits to the public seemingly as often as possible. 

For some, the gossip likely became easy to believe after DeGeneres' exit from daytime television left her reeling. Reports that she was responsible for a harsh workplace environment on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" tarnished her reputation and made it hard for her to get back on her feet. This has potentially led to some nasty behind-the-scenes behavior at home between the talk show host and her wife.

All married couples go through ups and downs, but it seems de Rossi and DeGeneres have had to weather more hardships than they're willing to let on. As the couple appears to have been on the rocks for a while now, we've uncovered some major red flags in their relationship we can't ignore.

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After a hard-hitting investigative report by BuzzFeed News alleging a culture of abuse and racism running rampant behind the scenes of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" came out in 2020, Ellen DeGeneres decided to remove herself from the spotlight –at least temporarily. The initial reports came as a shock to DeGeneres' die-hard fans, as she curated an immaculate image of kindness and dancing through life. The time spent away was supposed to restore her image, but it seems with Portia de Rossi being out of work as well, the couple had no choice but to constantly confront each other in their home life.

During her "Ellen's Last Stand...Up Tour" in 2024, DeGeneres admitted that being in a slump after her show went off the air began to interfere with her relationship with de Rossi. Addressing a Los Angeles crowd, she said of that devastating time, "[Portia] was watching it happen to me ... She went through it with me," per People. This feeling also jeopardized her creative pursuits as the comedian tried to get back on her feet in the stand-up comedy sphere. "It's hard to dance when you're crying," she said.

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Attempting to make a comeback to settle the sting of losing her show and reputation, Ellen DeGeneres went back to what catapulted her into fame to begin with: stand-up comedy. Garnering herself a lucrative Netflix deal, DeGeneres joined a long list of controversial comedians flocking to the streaming service to film comedy specials. But just because she got paid for the gig doesn't mean the public approved of what she had to say in her hour-long special, "For Your Approval." In fact, a source dished to InTouch Weekly, "To put it mildly, Ellen's Netflix special did nothing to reverse her bad reputation." And this reportedly led to DeGeneres and de Rossi continuing to have a fraught time.

With a title like "For Your Approval," it seems that DeGeneres really was becoming a little bit desperate to get back into the public's good graces. With each minor failure feeling like a resounding defeat, the stress purportedly spilled into the bedroom. The source close to the couple continued by saying the poor reviews of the special "only intensified the talk among DeGeneres and de Rossi's remaining pals in Hollywood that their marriage is in terrible shape." 

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While taking time away from the spotlight to lick some of her wounds, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi decided to start a new skincare line together. The foreboding name they chose was "Kind Science" — it feels like an off-putting choice for a celebrity trying to rehab their image after it was discovered that they weren't so kind. In 2024, a source close to the couple gabbed to InTouch Weekly, "Ellen starting a skin care business with Portia reeks of desperation and suggests that it's hell at home if they need this new project to work on."

DeGeneres and de Rossi are not alone in starting a celebrity skincare company. They join a long list of incredibly successful celebrity brands ranging from Fenty Beauty by Rihanna to anything the Kardashian and Jenner family touts these days. On top of facing tough competition, it seems that Kind Science might not end up being the wonder product the couple was hoping for. Whereas the reviews on the Kind Science webpage are glowing, users on other review sites have complained that products are slow to ship; customers are charged for shipping on returns; and refunds are difficult to come by. Several also felt scammed into signing up for a subscription service they can't seem to cancel.

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Ellen DeGeneres has never been one to shy away from controversial moments, but scandals haven't stopped her from becoming obscenely wealthy. She and Portia de Rossi also share an extensive real estate portfolio. There's the almost $9 million home in Coldwater Canyon, the house in Montecito that cost them $14 million, and a Bel Air mansion the couple renovated together for a cool $29 million. However, it was the property DeGeneres and de Rossi bought in 2022 that was supposed to be their "dream home."

While DeGeneres was embarking on her years of rest and relaxation after making her guests uncomfortable and being ousted from daytime television, she and de Rossi purchased a $70 million sprawling estate in Carpinteria, California. This was to be the home where the couple would celebrate many anniversaries together and enjoy each other's company. However, after owning the home for just shy of two years, the couple sold it off. A source close to the couple told InTouch Weekly that the sale was a sign of marriage woes. "Ellen being home all the time has taken a toll on their marriage. ... Frankly, they're getting on each other's nerves," the insider added. However, the couple continued doing their best to keep up appearances on social media.

We all know that social media is often the greatest indicator of how a relationship is really doing — it's what makes snooping on the outside lives of celebrities so fun. For a couple who's had their share of ups and downs over the years, it seems that Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have more posts about their Kind Science skincare line than they do about each other.

In a 2024 Instagram video that's probably meant to be cutesy, the couple shuffles around backstage before one of DeGeneres' performances. There's another post dedicated to how much de Rossi helped her wife behind the scenes when she was preparing for both her Netflix special and the accompanying tour, but the post just feels more centered on DeGeneres, with her body taking up most of the frame and a too-short caption that reads, "Portia I love you and couldn't have done it without you."

But the real smoking gun might be the nearly sweet tribute DeGeneres posted for their 16th anniversary. There's a carousel of photos of the couple smooching on the cheek, but the text to the post reads, "I will be celebrating my 16th wedding anniversary on the 16th of August in Minneapolis filming my final Netflix special. What a day!!! I'm so lucky to be loved by the most amazing person I've ever met. I love you Portia. You're my everything." Surely there must be more to say about someone you've spent nearly two decades with other than to mention you'll be filming your own special. That's certainly a giant red flag, but we hope the duo isn't doomed.