Rosie O'Donnell
Acting · Production
Born March 21, 1962, Commack, Long Island, New York, USA
Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American stand-up comedienne, actress, singer, author and media personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family Vacations. Raised Roman Catholic, O'Donnell lost her mother to cancer as a pre-teen and has stressed the importance of protecting children and supporting families throughout her career. O'Donnell started her comedy career while still a teenager and her big break was on the talent show Star Search when she was twenty years old. A TV sitcom and a series of movies introduced her to a larger national audience and in 1996 she started hosting The Rosie O'Donnell Show which won multiple Emmy awards. During her years on The Rosie O'Donnell Show she wrote her first book, a memoir called Find Me and developed the nickname "Queen Of Nice" as well as a reputation for philanthropic efforts. She used the book's $3 million advance to establish her own For All Kids foundation and promoted other charity projects encouraging other celebrities on her show to also take part. O'Donnell came out stating "I'm a dyke!" two months before finishing her talk show run, saying that her primary reason was to bring attention to gay adoption issues. O'Donnell is a foster—and adoptive—mother. She has since continued to support many LGBT causes and issues. In 2006 O'Donnell became the new moderator on The View boosting ratings and attracting controversies with her liberal views, and strong personality, dominating many of the conversations. She became a polarizing figure to many and her strong opinions resulted in several notable controversies including an on-air dispute regarding the Bush administration's policies with the war in Iraq resulting in a mutual agreement to cancel her contract. In 2007 O'Donnell also released her second memoir, Celebrity Detox, which focuses on her struggles with fame and her time at The View. She continues to do charity work and remains involved with LGBT and family-related issues. She is best known for her inaccurate prediction that Donald Trump will never be the President of the United States. In 2008 O'Donnell starred in and executive produced America (2009 film), a Lifetime channel original movie in which she plays the therapist of the title character, a 16-year-old boy aging out of the foster care system. The film is based on the E.R. Frank book of the same name. In October 2009, she appeared in the original cast of Love, Loss, and What I Wore. In November 2009 "Rosie Radio", a daily two-hour show with O'Donnell discussing news and events on Sirius XM Radio, premiered. O'Donnell said she was approached by the company after she appeared on The Howard Stern Show. O'Donnell has signed on with the Oprah Winfrey Network OWN to return to daytime TV with a talk show in Fall 2011. Description above from the Wikipedia article Rosie O'Donnell, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
- Good Hang with Amy Poehler
- 2025She Raised Me — Marilyn Muff
- 2024The Grievance — Louise
- A League of Their Own — Vi
- American Gigolo — Det. Joan Sunday
- 2022Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration
- And Just Like That… — Mary
- Hacks — Rosie O'Donnell
- I Know This Much Is True — Lisa Sheffer
- 2020Love, Loss, and What I Wore
- Russian Doll — Subway announcer (voice)
- SMILF — Tutu
- When We Rise — Del Martin
- 2016Hairspray Live! — Gym Teacher
- Difficult People — Vanessa
- Empire — Pepper O'Leary
- 2015Pitch Perfect 2 — The View Host
- 2015Rosie O'Donnell: A Heartfelt Stand Up — Self, Writer
- Mom — Jeanine
- The Fosters — Rita Hendricks
- 2012Don't Divorce Me! Kids' Rules for Parents on Divorce — Executive Producer
- Smash — Rosie O'Donnell
- Impractical Jokers — Q-Two
- The Rosie Show — Self - Host, Producer
- Web Therapy — Maxine DeMaine
- 2010One Night Only: Barbra Streisand and Quartet at the Village Vanguard — Audience
- The Fran Drescher Show
- 2009America — Dr. Maureen Brennan, Teleplay
- Drop Dead Diva — Judge Madeline Summers
- Million Dollar Password
- Rosie Live — Producer
- Web Therapy — Maxine DeMaine
- The Big Gay Sketch Show — Producer, Creator
- American Dad! — (voice), Townie (voice)
- 2005Riding the Bus with My Sister — Beth Simon, Executive Producer
- 2003Listen to Her Heart: The Life and Music of Laurie Beechman — Narrator
- Nip/Tuck — Dawn Budge
- Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
- 2002Artists and Orphans: A True Drama — Narrator
- Primetime Glick
- Curb Your Enthusiasm — Rosie O'Donnell
- Queer as Folk — Loretta Pye
- 2000The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas — Octopus Masseuse (voice)
- 1999A Rosie Christmas — Host
- 1999Jackie's Back! — Rosie O'Donnell
- Judging Amy — Judge Nancy Paul
- 1999Saturday Night Live: Christmas — Bella (archive footage)
- 1999Tarzan — Terk (voice)
- Third Watch — Paramedic
- Time of Your Life
- 1998Kids Are Punny — Baby Rosie (voice), Book, Executive Producer
- 1998Wide Awake — Sister Terry
- Will & Grace — Bonnie
- Ally McBeal — Dr. Hooper
- 1997Austin Powers' Electric Psychedelic Pussycat Swingers Club — The Swingers Club
- The Practice — Wedding Consultant
- 1996A Very Brady Sequel — Rosie O'Donnell (uncredited)
- 1996Beautiful Girls — Gina Barrisano
- Blue's Clues
- E! True Hollywood Story
- 1996Harriet the Spy — Ole Golly
- Spin City — Rosie O'Donnell
- Suddenly Susan — Rosie O'Donnell
- The Rosie O'Donnell Show — Self - Host, Executive Producer, Creator
- 1996The Twilight of the Golds — Jackie
- Bless This House
- 1995Now and Then — Roberta
- 1995Rosie O'Donnell — Self, Writer
- 1994Car 54, Where Are You? — Lucille Toody
- 1994Exit to Eden — Sheila Kingston
- 1994I'll Do Anything — Makeup
- 1994Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! — Good Hope Fairy
- 1994The Flintstones — Betty Rubble
- 1993Another Stakeout — A.D.A. Gina Garrett
- 1993Fatal Instinct — Woman in Bird Store
- 1993Sleepless in Seattle — Becky
- The Nanny — Cozette, Rosie O'Donnell
- 1992A League of Their Own — Doris Murphy (3B)
- Stand By Your Man — Lorraine Popowski
- The Larry Sanders Show — Rosie O'Donnell
- The Ren & Stimpy Show — The Head Barette Beret Girl (voice)
- Beverly Hills, 90210 — Rosie O'Donnell
- Gimme a Break! — Maggie O'Brien
- Tony Awards — Self - Host, Producer, Executive Producer
- Hallmark Hall of Fame — Beth
Appearances as themselves (86)
- The Assembly Ireland — Self
- 2026The Mystery of Richard Simmons: A Diane Sawyer Special — Self
- 2025Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Sam Pang Tonight — Self - Guest
- 2024Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution — Self
- 2023Being Mary Tyler Moore — Self (voice)
- It's Ok to Ask Questions — Self
- 2023Rosie's Theater Kids — Herself
- 2023The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime — Self
- 2022Bonnie — Self
- 2022Meat Loaf - A Celebration Of Life — Self (archive footage)
- Stars in the House — Self - Special Guest
- 2020Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone — Self
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — Self - Contestant
- The Kelly Clarkson Show — Self
- The Tamron Hall Show — Self - Guest
- 25 Words or Less — Self
- 2017The Words That Built America — Self - Reader: Declaration of Independence
- Time: The Kalief Browder Story — Self
- Match Game — Self - Panelist
- The $100,000 Pyramid — Self
- Celebrity Family Feud — Self
- 2015Everything Is Copy — Self
- 2015Roseanne for President! — Self
- The Late Late Show with James Corden — Self - Guest
- Late Night with Seth Meyers — Self, Self - Guest
- 2014The (Dead Mothers) Club — Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — Self
- Have You Been Paying Attention? — Self - Guest Quizmaster
- Hollywood Game Night — Self
- 2012Me @ the Zoo — Self (archive footage)
- 20119/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Up — Self
- 2011Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey — Self
- 2011The Undefeated — Self (voice)
- 2010A Family Is a Family Is a Family: A Rosie O'Donnell Celebration — Herself
- 2010Teenage Paparazzo — Self
- Who Do You Think You Are? — Self
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen — Self - Guest
- Little Britain USA — Herself
- Ruby — Self
- Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — Self
- Keeping Up with the Kardashians — Self
- 2007ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway — Self
- 2006All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise — Herself
- 2006The Madness of Boy George — Self (archive footage)
- 2005I'm Going to Tell You a Secret — Self
- Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List — Self
- 2005Pursuit of Equality — Self
- 2005The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch — Self
- The Tony Danza Show — Self - Guest
- Celebrities Uncensored — Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Self - Guest Host
- 2003The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series — Self
- 2003The Very Best of America's Funniest Comedians — Self (archive footage)
- 2001Hedwig and the Angry Inch — Self (uncredited)
- 2001Last Party 2000 — Self
- 2001Laughing Out Loud: America's Funniest Comedians — Self (archive footage)
- 2001The Gun Deadlock — Self
- 1999Discovering Bedrock — Self
- 1999Tarzan in Concert with Phil Collins — Self
- Teen Choice Awards — Self
- 1998Celine: These Are Special Times — Self
- Hollywood Squares — Self - Panelist
- 1998Sesame Street: Elmopalooza! — Self
- 1997Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life — Self
- 1997Say It, Fight It, Cure It — Self
- The View — Self, Self - Co-Host
- 1997WNBA: The Birth of a League — Self
- 1997Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary Party — Self
- 1996The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful — Self
- Inside the Actors Studio — Self
- Intimate Portrait — Self
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien — Self - Guest
- Late Show with David Letterman — Self - Guest
- 1993Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration — Self (segment "New Way to Walk")
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno — Self
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark — Self - Guest
- Kids' Choice Awards — Herself - Co-Host, Self - Host
- Jeopardy! — Self
- Entertainment Tonight — Self
- CNN Special Report — Self
- Saturday Night Live — Self - Host
- The Late Late Show — Self - Guest
- The Grammys — Self - Host
- The Oscars — Self
- Broadway: The Next Generation — Self