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 15; 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!$#!#entary filmmaker Mel Metcalfe, but admitted to being gay in 2005 after much speculation in the press. By the time, she was already dating comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, a relationship which culminated in their marriage in August 2008, in light of California’s allowing of same-sex marriages in the state.
Portia de Rossi was born on January 31, 1973 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Born with the name Amanda Lee Rogers, she began her career modeling for print and television ads as a child. She adopted her current name at a young age; in a later interview, she said that it’s because of her struggle about her homosexual orientation. She studied at the University of Melbourne, taking up a law degree, but later left to pursue an acting career.
Her first significant acting role was in the 1994 film Sirens, playing the role of impressionable model Giddy. She then flew to Los Angeles, taking on small roles in film and television, until she joined the cast of the comedy Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher. Her breakthrough role came in 1998, when she joined the cast of the series Ally McBeal as lawyer Nelle Porter. She remained with the show until its end in 2002.
In 2003, she signed on for the critically-acclaimed comedy series Arrested Development. She gained more international acclaim for her portrayal of the promiscuous “activist” Lindsay F?nke. Upon the show’s end in 2006, she joined the cast of the drama series Nip/Tuck, playing the lesbian lover of Julia McNamara (Joely Richardson). She appeared as Carolyn Kennedy, the wife of John F. Kennedy Jr. (Kristoffer Polaha), in the television movie America’s Prince. She also continued to appear in films such as Who is Cletis Tout?, I Witness and Cursed.
de Rossi is perhaps also known for her personal life. She was initially married to do!$#!#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.
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
-Portia is able to play and enjoys playing the guitar.
-Portia has a pet dog named Bean.
-Portia is rumored to only eat while standing up. She tries to stick to a strict diet of egg whites, vegetables and chicken, with no sauces.
-Portia is currently dating comedian Ellen DeGeneres.
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series (Ally McBeal)
1994:Sirens as Giddy
1995:The Woman In The Moon
1995:Too Something as Maria Hunter
1997:Veronica's Closet as Carolyn
1997:Scream 2 as Sorority Sister Murphy
1998-2002:Ally McBeal as Morgan "Nelle" Porter
1998:Astoria
1998:Girl as Carla Sparrow
1998:Perfect Assassins as Lana Collins
1999:The Invisibles as Joy
1999:American Intellectuals as Sarah
1999:Stigmata as Jennifer Kelliho
2001:Women in Film as Gina
2001:Who Is Cletis Tout? as Tess Donnelly
2002:The Glow as Jackie Lawrence
2002:The Twilight Zone as Laurel Janus
2003:Two Girls From Leemore
2003-2006:Arrested Development as Lindsay Bluth Funke
2003:America's Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy
2003:I Witness as Emily Thompson
2003:The Night We Call It A Day as Hilary Hunter
2004:Dead&Breakfast as Kelly
2005:Cursed as Zela
2007-2008:Nip/Tuck as Olivia Lord
2008:Better Off Ted as Veronica
1994: Sirens (AUS, UK)
1995: The Woman in the Moon (USA)
1995: Too Something (aka New York Daze) (USA) 1997: Veronica's Closet (USA)
1997: Scream 2 (USA)
1998–2002: Ally McBeal (USA)
1998: Astoria (USA)
1998: Girl (USA)
1998: Perfect Assassins (aka A Breed Apart)(USA)
1999: The Invisibles (USA)
1999: American Intellectuals (USA)
1999: Stigmata (USA)
1999: Ally (USA)
2001: Women in Film (USA)
2001: Who is Cletis Tout? (USA, CAN)
2002: The Glow (USA)
2002: The Twilight Zone (USA)
2003: Two Girls from Leemore (USA)
2003–2006: Arrested Development (USA)
2003: America's Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story (USA)
2003: Mister Sterling (USA)
2003: I Witness (USA, GER)
2003: The Night We Called It A Day (aka All The Way/aka All The Way: The Kidnapping Of A Music Legend) (AUS, USA)
2004: Dead & Breakfast (USA)
2005: Cursed (USA, GER)
2007: Nip/Tuck (USA)
2009: Better Off Ted (USA)
2009: Arrested Development
"When i was 15, i changed it legally in retrospect, i think it was largely due to my struggle about being gay. Everything just didn't fit, and i was trying to find things i could identify myself with, and it started with my name."
"I picked Portia because i was a Shakespeare fan. de Rossi because i was Australian and i thought that exotic Italian name would somehow suit me than Amanda Rogers. When you live in Australia, Europe is so fascinating, so stylish and cultured and sophisticated."
-I love body parts, especially hands.
-It’s important to me to find music that feels like my own private experience, music that you think not everybody gets.
- Eventually I just want to rescue animals and live on that farm.
(on changing her name)
-I picked Portia because I was a Shakespeare fan.