The couple may not have a definite date with the stork, but their calendar is marked firmly for a different kind of big event. On February 25, DeGeneres, a veteran of umpteen other awards shows, will realize a longtime goal when she steps up to the mic at the Kodak Theatre to host the 79th Academy Awards.
DeGeneres talked to W about her route to the Oscars, the bad years and the tragic accident that set her on the road to comedy in the first place. And though she insists there's nothing political about it, when she takes to the stage for the biggest hosting gig in the business, don't expect her to be wearing a dress.
W: We initially asked you to wear a dress. You considered it, but in the end you were passionate about not doing it.
ED: I know what this magazine is. It's a beauty magazine; it's a fashion magazine. For me to even be considered and asked to be on the cover—it's huge…. When I [first] thought about doing it, I thought, Okay, I'll be open to this. I'll play dress-up. Then I thought, I just don't feel comfortable in it. I don't want to apologize for who I am.
W: Do you enjoy fashion?
ED: I usually wear Jil Sander, or I wear Marc Jacobs, or I wear Viktor & Rolf…. I love Raf Simons, but I didn't know he was even doing the [Jil Sander] collection. I like Neil Barrett. I love clothes, so when I wear clothes, they're usually somebody's. You know, I'm not wearing Kmart.
W: Do you think that's the perception?
ED: Whenever Portia and I are on the red carpet, they're yelling out for her to tell them what she's wearing. But nobody cares [about what I'm wearing] because I have a suit on, even if it's a Gucci suit. That to me is frustrating, because I put effort into getting ready too. But I guess it's not as important, and I'm not as dressed up somehow. I also feel myself more of a person than a gender. When people show me clothing that seems very, very feminine, it's hard for me to embrace that, because it just doesn't feel like me…. It was fun [for the shoot] having somebody do that to my hair, and do that makeup. But would I want to do that every single day? No.
W: What will you wear to the Oscars?
ED: Everybody's sending me stuff. Gucci sent me this amazing package with all kinds of different designs and different fabrics, in a beautiful box with my name engraved in gold plate. I picked some fabrics, and they're making me something. Zac Posen made me a gorgeous tuxedo. Viktor & Rolf is making me something…. I wasn't planning on changing because it's just different suits, but I may do it, because I'd like to thank them all for making me stuff, for wanting to do that.
