Trump's Re-election Prompts Ellen DeGeneres to Start New Life in UK

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta -  Ellen DeGeneres has made a life-changing decision to relocate to the United Kingdom with her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, following Donald Trump’s re-election as U.S. President.

The move, according to DeGeneres, was driven by growing concerns over the political climate in the United States, particularly the future of same-sex marriage rights.

Speaking during a public talk at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, DeGeneres shared that the couple initially planned only a short stay in the UK. But that quickly changed.

“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’. And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here’,” she said, as reported by Variety.

DeGeneres described life in the UK as refreshing and peaceful, praising the country's clean environment, friendly people, and compassion toward animals.

“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,” she said.

Fears Over Same-Sex Marriage Rights in the U.S.

Her decision to stay also stems from deeper concerns about civil rights. She cited moves by the American Baptist Church Convention to reverse the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in the U.S.

“The Baptist Church in America is trying to reverse gay marriage,” she said. “They’re trying to literally stop it from happening in the future and possibly reverse it. Portia and I are already looking into it, and if they do that, we’re going to get married here.

Reflecting on Controversy and Reputation

In a conversation quoted by Deadline, DeGeneres also opened up about the difficult period leading to the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022, which followed reports of a toxic workplace and misconduct allegations involving producers.

Despite offering a public apology and implementing changes, DeGeneres said her public image never fully recovered.

“No matter what, any article that came up, it was like, ‘She’s mean,’ and it’s like, how do I deal with this without sounding like a victim or ‘poor me’ or complaining?” she told The Hollywood Reporter.

“It’s as simple as, I’m a direct person, and I’m very blunt, and I guess sometimes that means that … I’m mean?”

Though she has yet to announce her next steps professionally, DeGeneres admitted she is still wrestling with her damaged reputation.

“I don’t think I can say anything that’s ever going to get rid of that [reputation] or dispel it, which is hurtful to me. I hate it. I hate that people think that I’m that because I know who I am and I know that I’m an empathetic, compassionate person.”

Now distanced from the U.S. media spotlight, DeGeneres hopes to find peace and safety in her new home. For her, the U.K. offers a sense of stability she no longer feels in America, especially when it comes to civil rights protections.

GEOFANNY ELIZABETH

Editor's Choice: Indonesia Grants 0 Percent Tariffs to 99 Percent of U.S. Products

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

Prabowo Says Trump Invited Him to the US, Jokes About Needing Golf Lessons

5 hari lalu

Can Trump's Patriot Missiles Withstand Russian Airstrikes?

5 hari lalu

4 Countries That Cut Civil Servant Jobs for Efficiency and Reform

6 hari lalu

European Heads of State Reactions to Trump's Import Tariffs

6 hari lalu

Elon Musk's New America Party: A Look at Its Challenges and Possibilities

12 hari lalu

Israeli PM Netanyahu Nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

13 hari lalu

TikTok Developing New U.S.-Specific App Ahead of Planned Share Sale

13 hari lalu

Elon Musk Challenges the Two-Party System in the U.S.

14 hari lalu

Trump, Netanyahu to Discuss 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire in Washington

14 hari lalu

One Big Beautiful Bill: Inside Trump's Latest Tax and Spending Proposal

17 hari lalu