Ellen’s Old Girlfriend Anne Heche Has Dropped Some Major Bombshells About The Star

When an old photo of Ellen flashed up on the app TikTok, Anne exclaimed, “Oh my God, not her.” The actress claimed that she had simply made the video as a bit of fun, though fans couldn’t help but notice the shade thrown at Ellen. In truth, they weren’t the first shots she’d fired at the now-beleaguered talk-show host.

It was an extremely busy week for the two newly smitten stars, and they chose to address their relationship head-on. Anne later said in a podcast that she brought Ellen to the Volcano premiere, but they didn’t get to stay for the whole movie. At some point during the third act, Heche claimed a Fox representative removed both women from the event and put them in Ellen’s limo.

During a 2020 interview with Mr. Warburton magazine, Anne explained, “I was told by Fox Studio executives that if I brought Ellen to the premiere, my contract would be terminated. I brought Ellen despite those threats, and we were escorted out of the theater before the lights came on by security and not allowed to attend the premiere party because they did not want any photos of us together.” 

The alleged reaction to Anne and Ellen’s relationship is a damning indictment of society’s treatment of the LGBTQ community during that time. But even though they were rejected by large sections of Hollywood and the public, it didn’t put them off each other. In fact, as Anne told Oprah, “Our souls [connected], and there’s a time when souls come together, and they’re just meant to be.”

Anne considered herself heterosexual prior to meeting Ellen and her relationship with the host was her first with a woman. As for Ellen, she was closeted at the time, preparing for the potential backlash she'd face in regards to her sitcom character coming out as a lesbian. After that seminal episode aired in 1997, Degeneres appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and came out publicly herself.

But how did Anne and Ellen meet? Well, their eyes first connected across the room at a 1997 Vanity Fair Oscars party. Anne – whose blockbuster movie Volcano was nearing release – told Oprah, “I saw Ellen across a crowded room, not knowing anything at all, except that I was just drawn to her.” And the two apparently hit it off immediately.

The week leading up to Ellen’s sitcom coming-out episode was eventful. First, she attended the party where she met Anne, as Heche explained in a 2018 episode of the Irish Goodbye podcast. Then, just two days later, the pivotal episode aired. Meanwhile, Heche's film Volcano premiered that Wednesday, opening in theaters the following day. And on the heels of their milestones were tough times.

Sadly, both women’s careers were hurt by their relationship. Ellen’s sitcom continued for a year after she came out, but it was eventually canceled. As a result, she returned to the stand-up comedy circuit in an attempt to rebuild. Anne would have been fired from her movie Six Days, Seven Nights, but according to Mr. Warburton magazine, co-star Harrison Ford stuck up for her. 

During this tumultuous period, Ellen actually considered leaving Anne because of all the trouble their relationship was causing. She told the Tampa Bay Times, “I tried to back out of her life. I said, ‘I think I’m ruining your career and your life, and I don’t think that I’m good for you. I think I should get out of here.”

Naturally, Anne didn’t let Ellen leave, and over the next few years they were inseparable. The pair lived and worked alongside one another and reportedly even discussed having children. Then one day in August 2000 – only ten days after they were spotted house-hunting together – it was over. The couple released a statement saying they had split amicably.

Anne sadly had a mental breakdown the day after their split became public knowledge. According to People, she turned up at the door of a complete stranger asking for a glass of water and a shower. When the police arrived, she claimed she was God and would soon take everyone to heaven in her spaceship. Anne was apparently hospitalized but released after a few hours.

Four years after her breakup with Anne, Ellen met actress Portia de Rossi. They got married in 2008 and are still together today. Anne had relationships with cameraman Coleman Laffoon and actor James Tupper. She and Laffoon share a son named Homer, while she and Tupper have a son named Atlas. These days she and actor Thomas Jane are an item.

Anne’s career later recovered as she moved mostly into the worlds of television and independent film. In 2018 she joined the cast of Chicago P.D. and three years later starred in a few episodes of All Rise. Also, in 2020 Anne appeared as a contestant on Dancing With The Stars – lasting until the third elimination alongside her professional partner Keo Motsepe.

By contrast, Ellen became one of the world’s most successful stars after she broke up with Anne. The Ellen DeGeneres Show became a talk show institution after launching in 2003 and the eponymous star become one of America’s most beloved celebrities. But 17 years later reports emerged of a toxic workplace culture at the show.

After an internal investigation, some senior executives were let go and Ellen opened her 18th season with an apology. She said, “I learned that things happen here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously. And I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected.” In May 2021 it was announced that the show would end following its 19th season.

Truthfully, the last time Ellen was at such a low point personally and professionally is when she broke up with Anne. A year or so after the breakup, she conducted an emotional interview with The Los Angeles Times. The TV star insinuated that Anne had pushed her into making their relationship more public than she wanted it to be. Ellen also claimed that her ex did this because she wasn’t gay, per se.

The reporter asked Ellen, “After you came out, did you want to be the cause celebration for gay Hollywood?” She then replied, “You know, I wasn’t that outspoken. I was going to make this statement [of coming out], but that’s all I was going to do. I didn’t know I was going to be walking down the red carpet holding somebody’s hand.”

“I mean, to me, that was all scary,” Ellen went on. “And if I would have hooked up with someone who was gay, they wouldn’t have forced – that’s a bad word, ‘forced’ – they wouldn’t have encouraged me to do that.” In essence, Ellen appeared to be suggesting that Anne liked the idea of publicly pushing the envelope with their relationship as a way of getting attention.

“There’s no need to have our arms around each other,” Ellen continued. The TV personality then praised Anne for being a fearless person but indicated she was uncomfortable with the level of public affection the actress allegedly pushed for. Ellen said, “I didn’t want to hold hands. I had never done that in public.” 

Ellen continued, “And yet there was this attitude of, you know, ‘You’re going to be on the cover of Time magazine and say you’re gay but you’re not going to hold hands? You deserve to hold hands as much as Tom and Nicole. Or Tom and Rita.’” To Ellen, this turned her real-life relationship into something more akin to a soap opera. 

The star then opened up about her confusion over the breakup and claimed that Anne had instigated the whole thing. Ellen said, “She walked out the door and I haven’t spoken to her since. I don’t have the answers. I would love to have them myself. I would ask all of the questions that everyone else wants to ask. I’m left with everybody else wondering what happened.”

With brutal honesty, Ellen admitted that Anne had broken her heart by leaving so unexpectedly. She confessed, “It was the one time I really believed this is forever. I’m going to be with this person forever, and I felt safe, and I felt we shared so much together, and it was the first time I’ve had my heart broken, and it was in a big way. Because there is no closure.”

Ultimately, Ellen was left questioning the very reality of their relationship. She said, “I’d like to believe that she loved me, and that I’m not that stupid that I would be completely fooled. But I really will never know.” She poignantly added, “I know that I was happy for a long time, and she obviously changed her mind.”

Fast forward to August 2020 and during Anne’s interview with Mr. Warburton, she was asked about her relationship with Ellen. The actress chose to take a big picture view of their union – rather than a personal one. Anne said, “Our time was a beautiful part of my life and one that I wear with honor.”

“I was part of a revolution that created social change, and I could not have done that without falling in love with her,” Anne continued. “I’m proud to have been part of a revolution that helped move equality forward, but there is still work to do. I’ve paved this way for myself, and my honesty had every single thing to do with it.”

Anne then cast her mind back to the Volcano premiere. She said, “The difference between what would happen today and what happened then is that I would not have been ushered out of my own premiere and fired from a multi-million-dollar picture deal with Fox for taking a girl as my date.” To Anne, at least, there has been progress in the acceptance of openly LGBTQ actors in Hollywood. 

Next, the interviewer broached the claims of a toxic environment behind the scenes on Ellen’s talk show. Anne didn’t defend or condemn her ex-girlfriend. Instead, she chose to distance herself personally. She said, “I haven’t spoken to Ellen in years. I’d listen to the people who have.”

Anne did indicate, though, that Ellen may have to lie in the bed she’s made for herself. The TV star cryptically said, “If I’m standing someplace and I don’t like what’s going on there and I stay there, it’s my fault. So, what are the actions that got me there and why can’t I get out of it easily if that’s not something I want to be engaged in?”

In 2020, on Dancing with the Stars, Heche addressed her relationship with Ellen in her opening video package. The actress claimed that when Fox executives allegedly threatened to fire her if she brought Ellen to the Volcano premiere, Ellen had actually encouraged her to tow the company line. But the former was apparently adamant and said, “No, thanks.”

Once again, Anne brought up how being with Ellen negatively affected her career. She said, “I was in a relationship with Ellen for three and a half years, and the stigma attached to that relationship was so bad I was fired from my multi-million dollar picture deal. I did not work in a studio picture for ten years.”

Unfortunately for Anne, the very night that the video package aired was the same one that she was sent home from the competition. The actress told Entertainment Tonight that the feeling of rejection brought back some uncomfortable memories. She said, “When I told my story last night, it triggered something in me.”

“It took me 20 years to tell my story, and to articulate it the way Dancing with the Stars allowed me to,” explained an emotional Anne. “So, to be voted off the same night I told that story, I had a similar feeling to what it was that I experienced years ago.” Clearly, everything had come flooding back to her.

“It doesn’t feel good to be put in a position where you tell your truth and it’s not received the way you want it to be,” Anne continued. “But when we tell our stories, we share our respect for one another. I hope that by sharing it, we encourage others to do the same.”

Despite not seeing Ellen for a number of years, Anne indicated that she wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of them reuniting on her talk show. She laughed, “Ask her! Come bring it. It would be interesting to see us come face-to-face.” Anne then added, “It would probably be exciting. I think she’s a magnificent woman.”

The star even addressed why the pair broke up – 20 years after Ellen told The Los Angeles Times she wanted answers. Anne revealed that, as with many people’s relationships, she and Ellen came to a crossroads where their goals in life diverged too much. Anne said, “Her intent and my intent were different and that’s why we separated.”

Up to this point, any semblance of negativity towards her former relationship was kept below the surface on Anne's part. But in April 2021, she threw some slightly unexpected shade Ellen's way for the first time on TikTok, and needless to say, people noticed.

Anne caused a particular stir on social media when she referenced her mega-famous ex-girlfriend in a TikTok video. While using a shapeshifting filter that transforms your image into a picture of someone else, Anne’s face was transformed into several pixie cut-wearing celebs. When she saw that it had turned her into Ellen, though, she captioned the video with, “Disappointed but not surprised.”

Then, after an old photo of Ellen flashed up on the app, Anne exclaimed, “Oh my God, not her.” The actress claimed that she had made the video all in good fun, but fans couldn’t help but notice the shade thrown at Ellen. Next, Anne caused a stir referencing her ex again while looking through a series of photos of her fashion choices down through the years.

The outfit worn at the 1998 Golden Globes is what Anne chose to spotlight. The picture of she and Ellen at that event became iconic – serving as an encapsulation of their tendency to wear almost-matching outfits at events. With Ellen in a navy suit and Anne in a dark blue velvet gown and duster coat, they looked every inch the happy couple.

But when Anne clapped eyes on the photo, she responded, “Why do I look like a hippie? It’s because Ellen didn’t want me to dress sexy.” The actress then rated her look a disastrous zero out of ten, gave it a thumbs down and ended with a savage, “Bye, no!” Maybe it’s best we don’t hold our breath for Anne to appear on the last season of Ellen’s talk show, after all.