Portia de Rossi has allegedly recorded some seriously heated arguments with wife Ellen Degeneres and threatened to release them to the public.

A source apparently told In Touch magazine that de Rossi, 41, recorded the arguments, telling DeGeneres that she would release them publicly to expose her abusive nature if she didn’t stop treating her badly.

“Portia secretly taped some of their arguments. She was drunk. Then she threatened to expose Ellen as controlling and manipulating,” said the source.

According to the source, Degeneres, 56, became very angry when she realized their argument was being recorded. She then allegedly checked de Rossi’s email to be sure the videos had not been sent to anyone.

The source also revealed to the magazine what life is like for de Rossi.

“She felt like a prisoner in her own home. She went from sipping white wine occasionally to drinking at least a bottle or more a day and topping it off with a pill. It got to the point where she was out of it four nights a week. They’ve had vicious shouting matches — with both of them yelling cruel, soul-crushing put-downs that they both deeply regretted.”

Despite these latest allegations, the couple are reportedly working hard at making their six-year marriage work. They were spotted in June smiling and shopping arm in arm at a furniture store.

“Portia going to rehab was the first step in saving their marriage,” a source said. “They want their marriage to work more than anything.”

Like any couple, this isn’t the first time, nor the last time they will try to weather difficult times. A source close to the couple said de Rossi is “good at seeking help when she needs to.”

”They’ve worked out difficulties in the past, and no doubt they’re trying to work out any problems right now.”

In May, the couple renewed their wedding vows, proving that the couple are still very much in love.

Image via Wikimedia Commons