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Portia de Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres sat down to reminisce about their romance. Although the couple has one of the most solid relationships in the entertainment industry and has been together for over 17 years, they have had ups and downs.
During a recent episode of the last season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Portia shared with the viewers the heartwarming story of how she told her 99-year-old grandmother that she was in love with Ellen.
“Well, my grandma meant everything to me. We were actually born on the same day, and she was so special to me,” Portia began. “And she was a huge fan of Ellen; she loved the sitcom — loved her sitcom, wouldn’t miss an episode, until the episode where she came out.”
According to Portia, seeing her grandma’s reaction to Ellen’s news made her fear because she already knew about her preferences. “Now, I know I’m gay at this point, and I love my gran, and the moment that Ellen came out, she refused to watch the show. In fact, if a commercial for her show came on, she would change the channel and say, ‘That disgusting woman.’ So, that didn’t bode well for me,” de Rossi confessed.
After moving from Australia to Los Angeles, Portia and Ellen began their relationship, but still, her grandmother had no idea. “I came home to see my family in Australia, and I sat by Gran’s chair at her feet, and she said to me, ‘Are you seeing anyone special?’” Portia recounted. “Now, at this point, my mom was supposed to have told Gran that I was with Ellen, and she knew that we lived together, and I said, ‘Gran, I’m with Ellen,’ and she said, ‘Ellen? Who’s Ellen?’” And I said, ‘You knew that I lived with Ellen,’ and she said, ‘Yes, and all this time I was worried that that lesbian was hitting on my granddaughter.’“
“So, then she literally put her head in her hands for 20 seconds or 30 seconds, silent,” the actress continued. “And I thought, ‘That’s it, I’ve killed my grandma,’ she’s just gonna literally — I really thought that I did.”
After her grandmother calmed down and understood what was happening, she responded. “And she just looked at me, and she goes, ‘Well, I love you just the same,”’ Portia added.
“It was a beautiful thing, for someone at that age, to have such strong feelings, and then just say — well, and then she just thought about it, ‘I love you just the same,’” Ellen told the audience.