Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi Selling Homes To Split Assets, Official Breakup To Come Next?
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s recent moves to place at least two of their homes up for sale is rumored to be part of a “sad split” that will soon see the pair formally split as a couple.
Several media outlets have reported the couple’s decision to publicly put estates on the market for an estimated $58.6 million is really part of a grand scheme to split up assets.
Among the properties now on the market for $45 million is a Santa Barbara, villa-themed estate DeGeneres once described as her “forever” home.
“They’re not only headed for a divorce, but they’re also secretly splitting up their assets before they make an official announcement,” said a source. “Not only will they not be growing old in that [Santa Barbara] home, which was their dream, but they won’t be growing old together, period.”
The 59-year-old DeGeneres is widely considered to be one of the wealthiest LGBT people in the world, consistently ranking in millions each year from her long running daytime talk show.
In addition to the Santa Barbara estate, the couple is also selling their luxury Beverly Hills condo purchased just three years ago. The Santa Barbara abode features a main house with six bedrooms, nine fireplaces, and an 800-square-foot living room, a swimming pool, classic fountains and sunken tennis courts, all set in 17 acres of grounds.
The couple has long been dogged by rumors of trouble in paradise, though DeGeneres has often done her best to deflect some of the reports.
She recently told PEOPLE magazine: “I can’t imagine not being married. I have my best friend, the person I want to spend time with more than anybody else in the world.”
Their latest travails come soon after DeGeneres was bestowed with the Presidential Medal of Honor by outgoing president Barack Obama.
Around that same time, DeGeneres and de Rossi were rumored to be in counseling in a last-effort to save their union. Life & Style magazine reported that the ever-busy DeGeneres had been in counseling solo and with De Rossi as the two frantically attempted to figure things out.
“Part of their therapy is to go on more date nights,” said a source. “That’s why they’ve been seen out and about more together lately. It’s all about spending quality time together, but still giving each other space during the workday.”
Prior to that, various reports had indicated the friction between them had noticeably escalated and the fights had seemingly multiplied.
“Portia was frustrated because she was spending a lot of time on Ellen’s talk show set or sitting at home, waiting for Ellen to spend time with her.”
At one point the couple’s heated arguments had grown to be so customary, studio crew on the show had grown accustomed to overhearing their battles.
“Ellen hates that,” a source added. “She never wants people at work to know about her personal problems. It was a huge wake-up call for her.”
Still, DeGeneres’ work schedule is reported to have remained jammed pack. She recently signed a deal with NBC to host a game show. Ellen’s Game of Games will pull segments from her syndicated daytime show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Each hour-long episode will feature supersize versions of popular games from the daytime series. Show contestants will be pulled from the audience, similar to DeGeneres’ talk show. Their challenges will include such tasks as maneuvering massive obstacles, answering questions under pressure, and facing a gigantic plunge into the unknown.
