TV - Movies
Why Hollywood
Stopped Casting
Portia De Rossi
By SARAH CHANDLER
Born in Australia as Amanda Rogers, Portia De Rossi’s name change at 15 reflected her struggle to reconcile her sexuality with an as-yet unaccepting world. Picking her first name from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and her last name because of its exotic charm, de Rossi also struggled with an eating disorder, shifting from law to acting, and coming out in Hollywood.
Amanda Rogers, J.D.
De Rossi started out with a few commercials before transitioning to small silver screen roles, including low-budget Australian comedy “Sirens” and later, “Scream 2.” In 1998, de Rossi also landed the part of Nelle Porter in “Ally McBeal,” which serves as an early example of her ability to play difficult personalities to humorous effect.
Early Career
In order to cement her career as a respected American television actress, de Rossi married Mel Metcalfe to secure a green card. While she didn’t go through with it in the end, her consideration of the option shows how important her career was to her — in fact, she even trained herself out of her Australian accent while living in LA.
Commitment To Career
Some of de Rossi's projects including “Arrested Development” and “Better Off Ted” didn't pan out so well, despite receiving critical acclaim. Her two other shows including “Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher” and “Mister Sterling” were canceled only after short runs, while her box-office bombs in 2001 and 2003 also made her attempt to transition to film unsuccessful.
Misfires In TV And Movies
A few of de Rossi's endeavors never even had the chance to get off the ground, such as the potential “Munsters” reboot in 2012, despite its huge budget and years of planning. NBC declined to pick up the series and robbed us of yet another hilarious de Rossi character where she would’ve played the benevolent and loving vampire, Lily Munster.
Missed Opportunities