Ellen DeGeneres is the first openly lesbian actress to play an openly lesbian character on TV.
Ellen (TV series) . The title role is Ellen Morgan , played by stand-up comedian Ellen DeGeneres , a neurotic bookstore owner in her thirties . Ellen DeGeneres . Her character , Ellen Morgan , also came out to a therapist played by Winfrey , and the series went on to explore various LGBT issues , including the coming-out process . This made her the first openly lesbian actress to play an openly lesbian character on television .