Claim: Portia de Rossi was employed with Kerry Washington.

Portia Lee James DeGeneres -LRB- born Amanda Lee Rogers ; January 31 , 1973 -RRB- , also known professionally as Portia de Rossi -LRB- -LSB- ˈpɔərʃə_də_ˈrɒsi -RSB- -RRB- , is an Australian and American actress , model , and philanthropist . She appeared as a regular cast member on the American political thriller television series Scandal in the role of Elizabeth North from 2014 to 2017 . She is also known for her roles as lawyer Nelle Porter on the American television series Ally McBeal -- for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 1999 -- and as Lindsay Fünke on the American television sitcom Arrested Development . She also portrayed Veronica Palmer on the ABC television sitcom Better Off Ted , and Olivia Lord on the television drama Nip/Tuck . De Rossi is married to comedian and television host Ellen DeGeneres .