Anne Heche claims stigma surrounding Ellen DeGeneres relationship made her lose out on movie deal

Anne Heche was famously linked to Ellen DeGeneres, 62, from 1997 until their split in 2000.

And the 51-year-old actress is opening up about the relationship and the unjust repercussions it had on her career in Hollywood.

‘In 1997, I met Ellen DeGeneres at the Vanity Fair party and that was the night that changed my life forever,’ said Heche to pro partner Keo Motsepe in a Dancing With The Stars clip obtained by People on Monday. 

She recalled the adverse reaction she received after telling those in her professional circle that she planned to take DeGeneres as her date to the premiere of her 1997 action thriller Volcano.

‘My movie premiere for Volcano, I had told them that I was taking Ellen as my date and I was told if I took Ellen I would lose my Fox contract,’ she claimed. 

‘At that moment, she took my hand and said, “Do what they say” and I said, ‘”No thanks.”‘

Heche stood firm on her decision to take DeGeneres to the premiere. 

‘I took Ellen to the premiere and I was ushered out before the movie even ended and was told I was not allowed to go to my own after party for fear that they would get pictures of me with a woman.’

‘She was warning me, “This is going to happen,”‘ she explained to Motsepe, who listened intently to Anne’s every word. 

‘I was in a relationship with Ellen DeGeneres for three-and-a-half years and the stigma attached to that relationship was so bad that I was fired from my multi-million dollar picture deal and I did not work in a studio picture for 10 years,’ alleged the Donnie Brasco star.

Anne also spoke candidly about her lengthy relationship with the talk show host in an interview with Mr. Warburton magazine, which was published in August. 

‘Our time was a beautiful part of my life and one that I wear with honor. I was a part of a revolution that created social change, and I could not have done that without falling in love with her,’ she explained.

Anne emphasized that she continues to be ‘proud’ that she has been ‘part of a revolution that helped move equality forward.’ 

But, despite having prompted some change in the industry and beyond, Anne admitted that there is ‘still work to do’ in terms of how LGBTQ+ citizens are treated in society. 

‘I’ve paved this way for myself, and my honesty had every single thing to do with it. I think every interaction we have should begin with whether or not we can look at and talk to other human beings with 100 percent respect. My answer will always be “yes.” We have to agree that it’s a possibility and that we all deserve it,’ she concluded. 

After her relationship with Ellen came to an end, Anne met and married actor Coleman Laffoon, 46.

They welcomed son Homer in 2002, but, unfortunately, the couple split in 2007.

She later went on to date Men In Trees star James Tupper, 55, from late 2007 until their breakup in 2018.

During their relationship, James and Anne welcome a son named Atlas, who is now 11-years-old. 

Anne is currently a contestant on the 29th season of Dancing With The Stars and is set to perform a passionate Paso Doble with Motsepe to Katy Perry’s anthem Rise, which prompted her to open up about her experience with sexual discrimination in Hollywood. 

Last week, Heche and her pro partner Keo Motsepe found themselves in the bottom two, after earning a disappointing 15 points for their quickstep to the song Zero To Hero from the 1999 Disney animated film Hercules.

Fortunately for Anne, Tiger King’s Carole Baskin became the second star to be eliminated after a weak samba with pro partner Pasha Pashkov, 35, to Circle Of Life from Disney’s 1994 animated film The Lion King.