Ellen DeGeneres, Wife Portia de Rossi’s Relationship Timeline

Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, will always have each other’s backs. A timeline of the Ellen DeGeneres Show star and the Arrested Development actress’ relationship is a testament that their marriage continues to get stronger as the years go on.

Ellen and Portia’s relationship began when they met at a photo shoot in 2004. Although their love story was just getting started, Portia actually had her eyes on the TV host for a long time after she spotted Ellen at an event in 2000.

While it took over three years for the two to exchange information, Ellen and Portia’s relationship quickly kicked off, and by 2005, they confirmed they were a couple. Chatting with People in November of that year, the Emmy Award winner gushed over their sweet bond.

“It’s the first time that I’ve known in every cell of my being that I’m with somebody for the rest of my life,” Ellen said of Portia at the time. The Finding Nemo star and the Ally McBeal actress got engaged in May 2008, and more than two months later, they tied the knot.

“Ellen was going to surprise me with a commitment ceremony at a joint birthday party that we were going to have, so we made the date of August the 16th, and during that time, gay marriage became legal in California,” Portia explained during a TV appearance in 2012. “So we were about to have this ceremony and then, all of a sudden, it was like a gift that it was then legal.”

Juggling their marriage and their hectic Hollywood careers can be challenging at times, but Ellen and Portia always make their relationship their No. 1 priority. The longtime lovebirds even have a secret to their successful romance.

“We’re just really good friends and we talk about everything and we never, ever, lie to each other, like not even the tiniest lies,” the Scandal actress marveled to Entertainment Tonight in 2016. “[Ellen is] the only person I want to hang out with. She is my best friend and I just want to be with her all the time.”

Prior to their marriage, Ellen was previously linked to actress Anne Heche from 1997 to 2000, as well as director and photographer Alexandra Hedison from 2000 until 2004. As for Portia, the film star was married to filmmaker Mel Metcalfe from 1996 to 1999.

Scroll through the gallery below to see a complete timeline of Ellen and Portia’s relationship!

2000

Ellen and Portia briefly met at a dinner party in 2000. However, Portia was not open about her sexuality at the time.

“I knew Ellen was the One when I first laid eyes on her,” the actress once explained in 2005. “But it took me three years to actually tell her how I felt about her. I was closeted and very, very afraid that if I talked about being gay, it would be the end of my career. So, I wasn’t about to date the most famous lesbian in the world.”

2004

The pair crossed paths again while backstage at VH1’s Big in ’04 Awards. “I ran into Ellen at a photo shoot and she took my breath away,” Portia gushed to The Advocate in 2005. “That had never happened to me in my life, where I saw somebody and experienced all of those things you hear about in songs and read about in poetry. My knees were weak.”

2008

Ellen and Portia revealed their engagement in 2008. The Ellen’s Game of Games star proposed to the Better Off Ted actress with a three-carat diamond ring.

Just two months after Ellen got down on one knee, the state of California lifted the ban on same-sex marriage, which allowed the pair to say their “I do’s” in front of a tiny group of friends and family members at their home in Beverly Hills.

Portia once told People that if Ellen had it her way, they would have been married in 2005. “If it were legal,” Portia once shared back in the day.

2014

Despite all the happy moments, Ellen and Portia found themselves in the center of divorce rumors in 2014. However, Portia put an end to all the speculation during an interview with People.

“There’s not one ounce of truth to any of it. I am very happily married,” she insisted at the time. “The only thing we ever argue about is who loves who more, it really is true.”

2020

When allegations of mistreatment and sexual misconduct on the set of The Ellen DeGeneres Show started circulating in early 2020, Portia made sure Ellen knew she had her wife’s back. The Scream 2 actress took to Instagram in August to show the TV star support after former employees came forward with accusations.

“I stand by Ellen,” read a photo Portia shared. She added the caption, “To all our fans … we see you. Thank you for your support.” Portia also used the hashtags “#stop bot attacks” and “#I stand with Ellen DeGeneres” in her post.

It appears these two are inseparable.

2021

In honor of their 13th wedding anniversary in August 2021, Ellen paid tribute to the occasion by sharing a sweet selfie with her partner via Instagram. “Happy anniversary, Portia. I’m the luckiest girl in the world because I get to share my life with you,” the Finding Dory star gushed in the caption.

Portia also shared a tribute to mark the milestone, writing, “13 years ago I married the love of my life. And it just keeps getting better.” It’s clear these two are in it for the long haul!