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Credit: Inside the MagicEllen DeGeneres is making it clear: she’s done with Hollywood, done with the U.S., and with Disney.
After quietly selling off her lavish $27 million Montecito estate amid some swirling allegations, the former talk show host has officially relocated to the U.K. countryside—and she’s not planning to come back.
According to recent reports and Ellen’s own words during a comedy set in Cheltenham, she and her wife Portia de Rossi moved to England right before the last presidential election. When they saw that President Donald Trump had been re-elected, they decided they were staying put for good.
“We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in’,” Ellen told the U.K. audience. “And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.'”
It’s a pretty bold statement—especially from someone who built an entire empire and made a ton of money in the U.S..
Ellen Says “Everything Is Better” in the U.K.
Ellen didn’t just move to another country to enjoy the scenery. She used the opportunity to openly praise the U.K. and criticize the U.S.—her home country, and the place that launched her career and made her millions. From the way people treat animals to the “simpler way of life,” Ellen painted a picture of England as a kind of personal paradise, even calling it “just better.”
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said. “We’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty. The villages and the towns and the architecture – everything you see is charming and it’s just a simpler way of life. It’s clean. Everything here is just better – the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here.”
And while plenty of Americans move abroad without fanfare, Ellen’s statements have struck a nerve. After all, this isn’t just any celebrity—we’re talking about someone who became one of Disney’s most recognizable voices, led a massively popular daytime show for 19 seasons, and was once hailed as the ultimate “be kind” brand ambassador.
Now she’s publicly taking shots at the country that gave her that platform.
What Happens to Dory?
Here’s where things get tricky for Disney. Ellen has long been the voice behind Dory, one of Pixar’s most beloved animated characters. But how does that relationship move forward when the actress behind the character says she’s done with the country that houses the company?
So far, there’s been no word on a third Finding Nemo installment, but if one ever does surface, it’s hard to imagine Ellen returning to voice Dory. Her own comments—and her ongoing self-exile—pretty much make that decision for Disney. Could they recast the role? Sure. Or they could simply leave Dory in the past, especially with Ellen now so publicly detached from everything the company and its audience represent.
It’s worth remembering that Disney has distanced itself from stars before. And given Ellen’s past controversy around her show’s toxic work environment and her open criticism of the U.S., the studio should not be rushing to rebuild that bridge.
For now, we’d imagine that Finding Nemo will likely stay with its two films, and the hopes for a third installment will likely fall by the wayside.
A One-Way Departure
Ellen has said she’s bored, loves her chickens, and may look for a new creative outlet. But one thing seems certain—she’s not looking to rejoin the Hollywood world that made her a household name. And if her actions and words are any indication, she’s not just putting her talk show behind her; she’s cutting ties with an entire chapter of her life.
For Disney, that means the company can’t afford to do anything but distance itself from the actress. Pixar, especially, can’t afford any kind of controversy. Dory, much like Ellen’s reputation in America, may be left drifting in the rearview.
No matter how fans look at this, three things are clear: Ellen DeGeneres isn’t coming back, and she seems perfectly fine with that. The majority of U.S. fans will likely be perfectly fine with it, as well.