Pics Of Ellen DeGeneres & Portia De Rossi That Make Their Age Gap Undeniable
It's hard to remember a time when Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi weren't together. But that time did exist, back before they became an item in 2004 when DeGeneres was 46 and at a career high with her Emmy-winning talk show and "Finding Nemo," and de Rossi was 31, finding her feet after her "Ally McBeal" fame. DeGeneres had had a previous high-profile relationship with another blond actor, Anne Heche. But de Rossi was the one who won the talk-show host's heart, despite being one of the celebrity relationships with big age gaps — DeGeneres is 15 years older than de Rossi.
Regardless of red flags in Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's marriage, per our matchmaker, the couple are celebrating 18 years of marriage in August 2026 and continue to publicly declare their love for each other, despite a few scandals that have plagued them through the years. One thing we know for sure is that looking at pics of the pair, their age gap is undeniable, whether it's in their looks, their hairstyles, or their fashion.
The 15-year age difference was obvious from the beginning
One of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's first big red-carpet outings as a couple was for a 2005 Golden Globe awards afterparty in Beverly Hills. For the event, de Rossi, then 31, looked youthful with fresh makeup and a playful high ponytail. For her part, DeGeneres was looking pretty good for her 46 years, wearing minimal makeup, and her hair in a layered bixie. But if we didn't know better, we might think that de Rossi was catching up with one of her mom's friends, not on a date night.
Just before major career backlash, Ellen DeGeneres was looking worn out in 2019
In 2020, allegations of workplace abuse at the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" started bubbling to the surface, and its star found her beloved status rapidly tank. In October 2019, Ellen DeGeneres was looking strained and noticeably older next to wife Portia de Rossi, who sported an edgy haircut, as they watched a football game in Texas. DeGeneres would ultimately wrap up her show in 2022 with hard years still ahead of her, as the public wasn't ready to accept her back into its fold.
Ellen DeGeneres embraced her graying hair, while Portia de Rossi fought signs of aging
Ellen DeGeneres was one of the celebrities who was proudly showing off her gray hair, until she wasn't. In September 2025, the voice of "Finding Dory" and wife Portia de Rossi attended a gallery opening in Paris, where their 15-year gap was obvious. DeGeneres' Instagram post from the event immediately drew feedback on how she looked: "Go back to blonde Ellen...it's your color!!!" Whether it was the social pressure or because she wanted to, she did. She was spotted in Montecito, California, with blond hair in December '25.
The new couple looked to be from different generations in the early aughts
At the end of 2004, Ellen DeGeneres and then-new flame Portia de Rossi were spotted backstage at the VH1 Big in '04 Awards in LA. DeGeneres, who was 46 at the time, looked her age, as did de Rossi, who was 31. Her heavy makeup, very done hair, and extravagant outfit all point to youthful energy. The 15-year age gap hasn't proven a problem for the pair, who have been together for more than two decades, making them one of Hollywood's most enduring duos.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's age gap was on display at the Super Bowl
In 2021, Ellen DeGeneres launched skincare brand Kind Science, which was initially met with praise by her fans. But as DeGeneres' popularity declined, so did the positivity surrounding the brand. In 2025, haters took to Reddit to slag Kind Science: "Why would you buy skin care from someone who looks like they think sunscreen is junk science?" wrote one critic. Signs of aging are natural and no skincare will stop it in its tracks, which DeGeneres showed in a pic with Portia de Rossi at the 2022 Super Bowl in Inglewood, California.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi in 2016? Looking decades apart
In the 2010s, there were plenty of rumors circulating about Portia de Rossi's appearance (seen with wife Ellen DeGeneres at the "Finding Dory" London premiere in July 2016), and what work she might have had done, from Botox to eyelid surgery. The "Arrested Development" star's alleged youth-ifying only served to further exacerbate the age gap between her and DeGeneres, who appears to be aging naturally, without the aid of cosmetic procedures.
Portia de Rossi's outfits have always had more youthful energy than Ellen's
In 2024, amid Ellen DeGeneres' backlash and Donald Trump's second election to president, the former talk-show host and wife Portia de Rossi headed to the Cotswolds, to a quieter life in the English countryside (though they still spend time in Montecito). Pics of the two show them wearing casual attire; but before this era, they often hit the town in LA, as they did in December 2021, with de Rossi wearing a fabulous red jumpsuit that was much fresher than her wife's uninspired and aging black suit.