Ellen DeGeneres Splashes Big To Put Down Roots In US Again

Ellen DeGeneres and her partner, Portia de Rossi, recently made a huge real estate purchase, not in the U.K., as one might expect, but in the U.S. 

The retired comedian and actress uprooted their lives and made a major move 14 months ago, relocating to the U.S. following Donald Trump’s re-election. 

However, reports now suggest that DeGeneres is homesick for the U.S. and is considering returning to America. 

DeGeneres’ recent purchase has raised more eyebrows about whether her rumored return to the U.S. might be true.

According to an insider, the comedian and her wife recently bought a home in Montecito. Although no details have been released about the price.

However, that doesn’t mean DeGeneres’ return home is set in stone, as she plans to shuffle between the U.K. and California. 

“She’s not moving back to the U.S. but will continue to split her time between both the U.K. and Montecito, [Calif.],” the source told People Magazine.

Another source also shared that DeGeneres and de Rossi are “missing the California weather and horse scene.” 

The couple has not been seen around their Cotswolds estate as frequently as before. According to locals, DeGeneres no longer frequents the local pub she used to visit, leading some to believe she had already moved away. 

Another source also noted that the last time they saw the retired comedian was over the summer. Although she appeared friendly, no one approached her.

News of DeGeneres’ latest purchase comes months after they reportedly told their friends they would return to the U.S. “soon.”

According to The Blast, an insider said that although the former talk show host was initially adamant about staying in the UK during Trump’s regime, she may have changed her mind. 

“She’s been telling friends they are coming home soon because they miss them and can’t take the winters over there, and Portia wants to act again. They will be here for the holidays and longer by the sound of it,” the informant added. 

Amid reports that DeGeneres was planning a move back to the U.S., she reportedly listed her Cotswolds property for sale. Notably, she purchased it for about £15 million ($19.8 million) and listed the home for £22.5 million ($29.7 million). 

The Blast reported that the property experienced severe flooding after Storm Bert caused a nearby river to overflow. As such, DeGeneres and her partner decided to move to higher ground. 

However, they seemed to have trouble selling off the property. According to an estate agent, the property was listed at “an absolutely crazy price,” which explains the difficulty in selling it. 

Besides real estate problems, DeGeneres is also facing legal issues, as she has been accused of failing to stop at a stop sign and colliding with another vehicle in October 2023. 

The woman who sued DeGeneres claimed that she was driving a Tesla in Santa Barbara County when she pulled to a stop at an intersection. After checking for incoming traffic, she moved but was allegedly hit by the comedian’s car. 

The victim alleged that she suffered “serious injuries” and business setbacks as a result of the collision and was seeking compensation for her losses. 

According to The Blast, the suit was filed in September 2025, and mediation occurred on December 9.

Months after the plaintiff involved in DeGeneres’ lawsuit requested a jury trial, the comedian’s legal team requested that the court invalidate the service of summons. 

According to The Blast, this move was made after the summons was improperly served.

Instead of being sent to DeGeneres’ personal residence, they were reportedly sent to her business management firm, NKSFB, LLC, and were left at a reception desk. 

Meanwhile, the firm’s partner, Harley Neuman, confirmed in a sworn declaration that DeGeneres does not regularly conduct business in that office space. 

“There was no reason to believe Ms. DeGeneres would be there at all, and especially not on those two random days in January,” the declaration read.