After a highly publicized exit from the United States following the 2024 election, Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, have quietly returned to America, purchasing a sprawling $27.4 million estate in Montecito, California.
The acquisition marks a significant shift for the couple, who had relocated to the United Kingdom amid reports that DeGeneres was protesting the political climate at home.
The property in question—a gated, three-acre estate that sits hidden from public view—formerly belonged to Hollywood producer Brian Grazer, best known for producing films like A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13.
Ellen DeGeneres and Grazer have known each other since the late 1990s, when she appeared in his film EDtv, a connection that may have facilitated the private sale. The transaction went largely unnoticed because the property was never listed for public sale, adding to the secrecy surrounding the couple’s return.
🚨 Breaking 🚨
It is my sad duty to report that Ellen DeGeneres is returning to the United States. pic.twitter.com/2doVYDawMn
— Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) November 30, 2025
Grazer originally purchased the property for $7.6 million in 2012 and underwent an extensive renovation, demolishing the existing structures and constructing a new 8,700-square-foot mansion in its place. The estate boasts traditional architectural styling, with interiors designed by celebrity decorator Waldo Fernandez.
Beyond the main residence, the property features at least two detached structures, a tennis court, multiple lawns and gardens, a four-car garage, and various other luxury amenities. Notably, despite the estate’s size and prestige, satellite imagery suggests it may lack a swimming pool—though that feature could simply be obscured from overhead views.
The gated property’s privacy and sophisticated design align with the couple’s apparent desire for discretion after their highly visible relocation to the United Kingdom.
What’s particularly interesting about the couple’s return is the timing relative to Portia de Rossi’s potential career resurgence. According to sources close to the situation, Portia de Rossi has been exploring a return to acting after stepping away from the industry seven years ago.
Specifically, she’s been considering a role on HBO’s The White Lotus, the prestige anthology series known for its luxury resort settings and high-profile ensemble casts.
The potential project has created tension between the couple, sources suggest. De Rossi reportedly wants to revive her career and seize this opportunity, while DeGeneres appears resistant to the arrangement.
Sky News is reporting there is concern that US celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres seeking refuge in Europe may be fleeing justice due to their past involvement with Diddy and/or Epstein. pic.twitter.com/OFIncV08u4
— @amuse (@amuse) November 24, 2024
The White Lotus filming typically occurs at remote luxury resorts, often for extended periods. The show’s production schedule would require Portia to spend approximately five months away from home, something DeGeneres apparently finds unacceptable.
“Ellen has no intention of leaving home and staying in some remote resort with a bunch of actors and their mates,” an insider revealed to RadarOnline. “She doesn’t want to tag along, and she doesn’t want Portia to go either. She wants things just the way they are, and that kind of stubbornness could prove fatal to the marriage.”
Sources close to Portia de Rossi have pushed back against the narrative that Ellen DeGeneres forced her to abandon her acting career seven years ago.
“Portia was the one who decided to step back from acting,” one insider insisted. “Portia is her own woman and makes her own decisions, and when the right acting opportunity comes along for her, she doesn’t need Ellen’s permission to say ‘yes.'”
This framing attempts to rebalance the power dynamic in their relationship, suggesting that de Rossi is an autonomous agent making her own choices rather than a subordinate following DeGeneres’ directives.
Yet the same sources acknowledge that Ellen DeGeneres’ resistance to The White Lotus could become a genuine marital sticking point.
The couple’s return to California after their much-publicized British retreat raises questions about whether the move represents a reconciliation with American life or simply a pragmatic calculation about where they can best pursue their respective interests.
Either way, the $27.4 million purchase suggests they’re settling in for the long term, at least for now.
