EXCLUSIVE: Ellen's Marriage Crisis! DeGeneres' Wife Portia de Rossi Plots Secret Showbiz Return Years After Comic's Show Was Axed Over 'Toxic Bullying' Scandal
Portia de Rossi's plan to return to the small screen may put a strain on her and Ellen DeGeneres' marriage.
Oct. 31 2025, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
After being Ellen DeGeneres' housewife since quitting acting seven years ago, Portia de Rossi is tempted to return to TV, RadarOnline.com can reveal, as bigwigs behind HBO's hot-button The White Lotus named her their dream cast member for season 4.
Pals said the 52-year-old beauty, who previously starred on Ally McBeal and Arrested Development, is tired of hiding out in the English countryside as a homemaker and is keen to revive her career, but they predict it will cause all kinds of trouble with DeGeneres, 67, if she takes the gig.
DeGeneres doesn't want to stay in a remote resort with other actors while de Rossi works, sources claimed.
de Rossi on 'The White Lotus'?
HBO producers named de Rossi their dream pick for season 4 of 'The White Lotus.'
"The idea of de Rossi going off for five months to act on a streaming show," said an insider. "The makers of The White Lotus understand that. The previous seasons have all been filmed at luxury resorts where the actors, if they want to, can bring along their loved ones for what amounts to a free vacation."
Actor Sam Rockwell, who is the real-life partner of White Lotus star Leslie Bibb, even got cast in the show, making a surprise cameo in season 3.
According to the source, de Rossi would fit into the romantic drama perfectly, as she already has loads of ensemble TV acting experience.
Does DeGeneres Support de Rossi's TV 'Comeback'?
Sources claimed DeGeneres feels uneasy about de Rossi's possible acting comeback.
Sources said de Rossi has chatted about doing the show with DeGeneres, and that's got the former talk queen bee's stinger out of joint.
"People think Ellen was the one who coaxed Portia to put her acting career on hold, but that's not accurate. Portia was the one who decided to step back from acting," the insider claimed.
"Portia is her own woman and makes her own decisions, and when the right acting opportunity comes along for her, she doesn't need Ellen's permission to say 'yes.'"
As RadarOnline.com readers know, DeGeneres and de Rossi split from the U.S. for the English countryside in November 2024 following Donald Trump's reelection to a second term.
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DeGeneres may never be able to save her TV career.
They recently bought a new, more contemporary home after running into too many issues with their first house.
Added the insider: "Ellen has no intention of leaving home and staying in some remote resort with a bunch of actors and their mates. She doesn't want to tag along, and she doesn't want Portia to go either.
"She wants things just the way they are, and that kind of stubbornness could prove fatal to the marriage."
