Anne Heche Says Dating Ellen DeGeneres Got Her Fired From Movie Deal

Actress Anne Heche has opened up about how her romance with Ellen DeGeneres hurt her acting career.

Heche is currently competing on Dancing with the Stars. In a sneak peek at Monday's episode, Heche talks with pro partner Keo Motsepe about her relationship with DeGeneres.

"In 1997, I met Ellen DeGeneres at the Vanity Fair party and that was the night that changed my life forever," Heche said.

"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. At that moment, she took my hand and said, 'Do what they say' and I said, 'No thanks.' 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."

"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 ten years," she added.

Heche and DeGeneres split in 2000. Heche has said that all of her other romantic relationships have been with men. DeGeneres is married to actress Portia de Rossi.