Portia De Rossi Used To Think Being Gay Was ‘Strange’

Portia de Rossi might be comfortable with her sexuality now, but that wasn’t always the case. Once upon a time, the actress thought being gay was a little “strange.”

The Arrested Development star came out publicly back in 2005. At the time, she wasn’t sure if she wanted everyone to know that she’s a lesbian. In fact, de Rossi admitted during a recent interview that she wasn’t happy being gay.

“I’d never met one for a start and I just thought they were strange and that they hated men and they were very serious and I had these ridiculous images in my head and there were no out celebrities or politicians or anybody that I could look to and go, ‘Oh, I could be like that,'” the actress explained during The Conversation with Amanda De Cadenet.

Portia de Rossi added, “There was nobody that I could say, ‘I could date her and I want to be like her.’ I just kind of thought I don’t want to live like this. I don’t have to, I don’t need to, I just shut down the emotional life.”

As a result of hiding her sexuality from the world, the actress said she developed a serious eating disorder while shooting the FOX television series Ally McBeal. According to Contactmusic, attempts to keep this aspect of her life a secret took its toll on de Rossi.

“The thing that kept me company was my eating disorder. It was like a lover, it was like somebody who never ever left me. Like a thought that would always keep me excited, interested and focused. It’s adrenaline,” Portia de Rossi said.

Although she experienced some initial reservations about sharing her sexuality with the world, she later came out after finding love with comedienne Ellen DeGeneres. Shortly after breaking up with her girlfriend Francesca Gregorini, de Rossi began dating the daytime talk show host. They’ve been together ever since.

She explained to AfterEllen earlier this year:

“I’m pretty happy with my life, so whatever I’m doing professionally has to actually make it even better than it is right now. We were together for four solid years before we got married, but the minute we said “I do,” the minute we stood up in front of our parents and our friends and committed to each other, our relationship changed. I don’t think people understand how important that little ceremony is and what it actually does to people.”

What do you think about Portia de Rossi being uncomfortable with her sexuality?

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