Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962)[3] is an American comedian, actress, author and television 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.
O'Donnell started her comedy career while still a teenager and her big break was on the talent show Star Search in 1984. 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.[4] O'Donnell is a foster—and adoptive—mother. She was made "Person Of The Year" in her cover-story interview in "The Advocate" with an in-depth interview by the magazine's Editor In Chief, Judy Wieder. Since coming out, she has continued to support many LGBT causes and issues.
In 2006, O'Donnell became a moderator on The View. O'Donnell's strong opinions resulted in several notable controversies including an on-air dispute regarding the Bush administration's policies with theIraq War, resulting in a mutual agreement to cancel her contract. In 2007, O'Donnell 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.
From 2009 to 2011, O'Donnell hosted Rosie Radio on Sirius XM Radio. In 2011, O'Donnell signed on with the OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network to return to daytime TV with The Rosie Show.[5] The OWN Network cancelled the show due to low ratings on March 16, 2012, and the last show aired on March 29, 2012.
She portrays Rita Hendricks in the ABC Family series, The Fosters.
Early Life[]
O'Donnell, the third of five children, was born and raised in Commack, Long Island, New York.[6][7] She is the daughter of Roseann Teresa (née Murtha), a homemaker, and Edward Joseph O'Donnell, an electrical engineer who worked in the defense industry.[7] O'Donnell's father had immigrated from County Donegal, Ireland during his childhood, and her mother was Irish American; O'Donnell was raised Catholic.[8][9] Four days before her 11th birthday, on March 17, 1973, O'Donnell's mother died of breast cancer.[10]While she attended Commack High School, O'Donnell was voted homecoming queen, prom queen, senior class president and class clown.[11] It was during high school that she began exploring her interest in comedy, beginning with a skit performed in front of the school in which she imitated Gilda Radner's character Roseanne Rosannadanna.[10] After graduating in 1980, O'Donnell briefly attended Dickinson College, later transferring to Boston University, before ultimately dropping out of college.
Personal Life[]
O'Donnell was a resident of Nyack, New York after the purchase in 1996 of "Pretty Penny," a Victorian river home that had previously served as the home of Helen Hayes, the American actress and "First Lady of the American Theater." O'Donnell sold the home to businessman Edward M. Kopko in 2000.
Filmography[]
- Television:
- Gimme a Break! NBC (cast member 1986–87)
- Stand-Up Spotlight VH1 (1988–91)
- Stand by Your Man Fox (1992)
- The Rosie O'Donnell Show Syndicated (1996–2002) (also producer and executive producer)
- The Twilight of the Golds Showtime (1997)
- Spin City ABC (1997) (as herself in An Affair to Remember)
- Blue's Clues Nick Jr. (1998) (as herself in "Blue's Birthday")
- Jackie's Back! Lifetime (1999) (cameo)
- Ally McBeal Fox (1999) (as Dr. Hooper in Let's Dance)
- Third Watch NBC (2000) (as Paramedic in Officer Involved)
- Will & Grace NBC (2002) (as Bonnie in Dyeing Is Easy, Comedy Is Hard)
- Judging Amy Fox (2003) (as Judge Nancy Paul in Judging Eric)
- Riding the Bus with My Sister CBS (2005 TV movie) (also executive producer)
- Curb Your Enthusiasm HBO (2005–11) (as herself, recurring role)
- Queer as Folk Showtime (2005) (as Loretta Pye, recurring role)
- All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise HBO (2006) (also documentary's producer and executive producer)
- The View ABC (September 5, 2006 – May 27, 2007, Moderator)
- Nip/Tuck FX (2006–2008) (as Dawn Budge, recurring role)
- Little Britain USA HBO (2008) (Series 1, Episode 1)
- Rosie Live NBC (2008) (also producer and executive producer)
- Christmas In Rockefeller Center 2008 NBC (2008)
- America Lifetime (2009) (as Dr. Maureen Brennan) (also executive producer and screenwriter)
- Drop Dead Diva Lifetime (2009–10) (as Judge Madeline Summers)
- Who Do You Think You Are? NBC (2011)
- The Doc Club with Rosie O'Donnell OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (2011)
- The Rosie Show OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (2011–2012) (also producer and executive producer)
- Web Therapy L Studio Web Series (2011) (as Maxine DeMaine) (recurring role, 4 episodes)
- Happily Divorced TV Land (2012) (as Katy O'Grady in Mother's Day)
- Bomb Girls Global TV (2013) (as Dottie Shannon in Something Fierce)
- Smash NBC (2013) (cameo in Opening Night)
- Impractical Jokers TruTV (2013) (guest appearance)[119]
- The Fosters ABC Family (2014) (as Rita Hendricks, recurring role)
- Award ceremonies:
- Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (Host) (1996–2003)
- 54th Annual Tony Awards (Host) (2000)
- 41st Annual Grammy Awards (Host) (1999)
- 42nd Annual Grammy Awards (Host) (2000)
- Radio:
- Rosie Radio SIRIUS XM (2009)
- Theater:
- Grease (1994)
- Seussical (2001) (replacement for David Shiner)
- Pippin (2004) (World AIDS Day benefit concert)
- Fiddler on the Roof (2004) (replacement for Andrea Martin in 2005)
- No, No, Nanette (2008) (for Encores!)
- Love, Loss, and What I Wore (2009)
- Filmography:
- A League of Their Own (1992)
- Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
- Another Stakeout (1993)
- Fatal Instinct (1993)
- Car 54, Where Are You? (1994)
- I'll Do Anything (1994)
- The Flintstones (1994)
- Exit to Eden (1994)
- Frank!! (independent film) (1995)
- Now and Then (1995)
- Beautiful Girls (1995)
- Harriet the Spy (1996)
- A Very Brady Sequel (1996) (Cameo)
- Wide Awake (1998)
- Get Bruce (1999) (documentary about Bruce Vilanch)
- Tarzan (1999) (voice)
- Artists and Orphans: A True Drama (2001) (short subject) (narrator)
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) (Archive footage)
- Last Party 2000 (2001) (documentary)
- The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch (2005) (documentary)
- Show Business (2005) (documentary)
- Pursuit of Equality (2005) (documentary)
- All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise (2006) (documentary) (also executive producer)
- America (2009) as Dr. Maureen Brennan
- Bibliography:
- Find Me (2002)
- Celebrity Detox (2007)
- Rosie O'Donnell's Crafty U: 100 Easy Projects The Whole Family Can Enjoy All Year Long (2008)