For their final appearance together on The Ellen Show, Ellen Degeneres interviewed her own wife Portia de Rossi and didn't hold back. Photo / Supplied
For their final appearance together on The Ellen Show, Ellen Degeneres interviewed her own wife Portia de Rossi and didn't hold back. Photo / Supplied
Australian actress Portia de Rossi has made an emotional final appearance on wife Ellen DeGeneres' long-running talk show.
The couple, who wed in 2008, spoke candidly about the huge role the talk show had played in their relationship.
"It's weird to interview her because I know everything about her, so this is silly. But you came into my life on the second season of this show – we've been together for 17 years," DeGeneres said.
"This show ending is actually a big thing for both of us because you've watched me go through everything with this show."
De Rossi then told a story about being a closeted actress and watching the first season of The Ellen Show, describing DeGeneres as a "litmus test" for those in Hollywood who wanted to be open about their sexuality without damaging their careers.
DeGeneres also posed a tricky question to her wife that she admitted she'd never actually "point-blank" asked her before.
"Everyone is asking me what I'm going to do next and giving me advice on what to do next and I've never point-blank asked you what I should do next," she said.
Portia de Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres attend the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Photo / Getty Images
De Rossi took a pause before delivering her answer.
"I just want you to do something that makes you really happy … but I want to make sure that you continue being a teacher because that's what you've been for everybody. More than ever, we need love and light and laughter, so I hope you continue to do something like stand-up."
DeGeneres revealed her wife had privately encouraged her to do more stand-up, including a full tour and a Las Vegas residency.
"You're so good at it," de Rossi said.
Dabbing her eyes with tissues, an emotional de Rossi said she couldn't believe the show "was nearly over … it's been such a huge part of our lives".
Elsewhere in the couple's chat, de Rossi told the moving story about how her elderly grandmother cast aside her homophobic views to support her relationship with DeGeneres.
"She was so special to me and she was a huge fan of Ellen. She loved the sitcom, wouldn't miss an episode … until the episode where she came out," de Rossi told the audience.
"Now, I know I'm gay at this point and I love my gran, and the minute 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'."
DeGeneres revealed her wife had privately encouraged her to do more stand-up, including a full tour and a Las Vegas residency. Photo / Getty Images
De Rossi moved to Hollywood and entered into a relationship with DeGeneres – then returned to Australia to break the news to her grandmother.
"I said 'Gran, I'm with Ellen.' And she said 'Alan? Who's Alan?' She's 99 at this point."
When de Rossi clarified that she was dating Ellen DeGeneres, her grandmother buried her head in her hands for at least 20 seconds.
"I thought, that's it, I've killed my grandma. And she looked at me and said, 'Well, I love you just the same.'
"It was a beautiful thing for someone at that age to have such strong feelings, then thought about it and say, 'I love you just the same'," said DeGeneres, who revealed that Portia's grandmother died aged 103 with the couple's wedding photo next to her bed.
DeGeneres will wrap her talk show at the end of the month after 19 years on air, and after enduring a scandal-filled few years that saw the show hit with allegations it had been a toxic workplace for employees.
In an apology to staff after the allegations were publicly reported, DeGeneres said she intended for her show to be a place where "no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect" and that she was "disappointed to learn that this has not been the case".
