Portia de Rossi was born on January 31, 1973 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Born with the name Amanda Lee Rogers, she began her career modeling for print and television ads as a child. She adopted her current name at a young age; in a later interview, she said that it’s because of her struggle about her homosexual orientation. She studied at the University of Melbourne, taking up a law degree, but later left to pursue an acting career.
Her first significant acting role was in the 1994 film Sirens, playing the role of impressionable model Giddy. She then flew to Los Angeles, taking on small roles in film and television, until she joined the cast of the comedy Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher. Her breakthrough role came in 1998, when she joined the cast of the series Ally McBeal as lawyer Nelle Porter. She remained with the show until its end in 2002.
In 2003, she signed on for the critically-acclaimed comedy series Arrested Development. She gained more international acclaim for her portrayal of the promiscuous “activist” Lindsay F?nke. Upon the show’s end in 2006, she joined the cast of the drama series Nip/Tuck, playing the lesbian lover of Julia McNamara (Joely Richardson). She appeared as Carolyn Kennedy, the wife of John F. Kennedy Jr. (Kristoffer Polaha), in the television movie America’s Prince. She also continued to appear in films such as Who is Cletis Tout?, I Witness and Cursed.
de Rossi is perhaps also known for her personal life. She was initially married to do!$#!#entary filmmaker Mel Metcalfe, but admitted to being gay in 2005 after much speculation in the press. By the time, she was already dating comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, a relationship which culminated in their marriage in August 2008, in light of California’s allowing of same-sex marriages in the state.