Playing someone of the same sexual orientation on Nip/Tuck has been an emotional experience for openly gay actress Portia de Rossi, who found herself reliving some early traumas as she was reading some of the show’s scripts.
“It makes me remember all the people I had to come out to and how often I had to come out,” de Rossi told TV Guide. “People think you just hold a press conference, but you don’t — you tell individuals. And you cross your fingers with every single person you care about, hoping that they’ll love you just the same.”
On Nip/Tuck, Portia de Rossi plays Olivia Lord, a mother and an acupuncturist who is romantically involved with Julia McNamara (Joely Richardson). This is the first time De Rossi is playing a lesbian on-screen, although it has been three years since she went public about her relationship with comedienne and television personality Ellen DeGeneres.
“I talked to Ellen about it,” de Rossi said, “and I realized that I spent so many years downplaying that side of me, just to forward my career. I could pass as a heterosexual and it would have been easy to stay that way, except that I didn’t feel honest as an actor because I wasn’t honest in my personal life.”
De Rossi’s multi-episode arc on Nip/Tuck was first announced in August. Back then, reports were circulating that she and Richardson had filmed some wild and steamy sex scenes, shocking even crew members who have grown accustomed to the show’s liberated approach to sexuality.
When asked if such steamy sex scenes exist, de Rossi chose to remain coy with her answer.
“You’ll have to wait and see,” she said, quickly adding, “but I think our characters have a deep emotional connection and that might be shocking for some people.”
Catch more of Portia de Rossi on Nip/Tuck, airing Tuesday nights on FX.
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: TV Guide
(Image Courtesy of FX)
Staff Columnist, BuddyTV
