Rosie O'Donnell told NBC execs she was gay before talk show

Contents:

• ROSIE O’DONNELL DCRIB PUBLICLY COMG OUT AS A GAY WOMAN ON TV
• ROSIE O'DONNELL RELLS COMG OUT AS GAY AFTER 9/11 (EXCLIVE)
• ROSIE O’DONNELL ON PHG TO PLAY HER CHARACTER GAY ‘A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN,’ DEPARTURE OF ‘AMERIN GIGOLO’ SHOWNNER
• “BEG GAY WAS NEVER THE HARST PART”: ROSIE O’DONNELL ON HER SHOW, HER PAST, AND HER PASSN FOR BARBRA STREISAND
• ROSIE O'DONNELL: BEG A GAY MOM
• ROSIE O'DONNELL SAYS HER 'NOW AND THEN' CHARACTER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GAY BUT STUD NIXED IT
• ROSIE O'DONNELL DCRIB PUBLICLY COMG OUT AS A GAY WOMAN ON TV
• MEET ROSIE O'DONNELL'S BROTHER DANIEL WHO WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
• ‘NOW AND THEN’: ROSIE O’DONNELL PORTRAYED ROBERTA MART AS A LBIAN EVEN THOUGH PRODUCTN ‘REMOVED A LOT OF THE GAY STUFF’
• ROSIE O'DONNELL TOLD NBC EXECS SHE WAS GAY AHEAD OF DAYTIME TALK SHOW: 'I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FD THIS OUT AS A SURPRISE'
• ROSIE O’DONNELL GETS SERTHE DTRY VET ON BRGG QUEERNS TO A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, BEHD-THE-SCEN CHAOS, AND STARRG A NEW TAKE ON AMERIN GIGOLO.BY TARA ARIANOSEPTEMBER 6, 2022GEENA DAVIS, MADONNA, AND ROSIE O'DONNELL A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, 1992.BY COLUMBIA PICTUR/COURTY EVERETT COLLECTN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVETHIRTY YEARS AGO THIS SUMMER, ROSIE O’DONNELL KICKED OFF HER FILM REER AT THIRD BASE, BOTH LERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY. SHE STARS PENNY MARSHALL’S A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN AS DORIS MURPHY, WHO LEAV STATEN ISLAND TO PLAY FOR THE ROCKFORD PEACH THE NEWLY CREATED ALL-AMERIN GIRLS PROFSNAL BASEBALL LEAGUE. THE FILM’S ENSEMBLE IS HEADLED BY GEENA DAVIS AND TOM HANKS, WH DORIS AND HER TEAMMATE AND BT IEND OM BACK HOME—“ALL THE WAY” MAE, PLAYED BY MADONNA—MOSTLY SERVG AS IC RELIEF.THE NEXT SUMMER, O’DONNELL RETEAMED WH HANKS FOR NORA EPHRON’S SLEEPLS SEATTLE, ANOTHER STANT CLASSIC. MORE FILM ROL FOLLOWED; THEN A LONG-NNG NAMAKE DAYTIME SHOW; THEN A UPLE OF STTS ON THE PANEL AT THE VIEW. MORE RECENTLY, THE WOMAN WHO PART STARTED OUT AS A STAND-UP HAS BEEN PLAYG MORE EMOTNALLY CHALLENGG ROL: SOCIAL WORKERS THE FOSTERS AND I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TE; AN ALHOLIC LAWYER REVERY WHO BREAKS HER SOBRIETY THE L WORD: GENERATN Q; A STGGLG BOSTON GRANDMOTHER SMILF. EVEN HER GUT APPEARANCE AS A BAR OWNER PRIME VIO’S NEW SERI REMAKE OF A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN IS—NO SPOILERS—CENTRAL TO ONE OF THE SEASON’S DARKT MOMENTS.LEAGUE ISN’T O’DONNELL’S ONLY FILM-TO-TV PROJECT THIS YEAR. SHE PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE AMERIN GIGOLO, SHOWTIME’S SERI ADAPTATN OF PL SCHRAR’S ACCLAIMED 1980 FILM. THE SHOW, OUT SEPTEMBER 9, STARS JON BERNTHAL AS JULIAN, THE TULAR SEX WORKER; AS THE FILM, JULIAN IS FALSELY ACCED OF MURRG ONE OF HIS CLIENTS, AND PURSUED BY DETECTIVE SUNDAY OF THE LAPD. BUT WHEREAS THE FILM STARS HéCTOR ELIZONDO AS JOE SUNDAY, THE SERI REIMAG THE CHARACTER AS JOAN SUNDAY (O’DONNELL), WHO NVC JULIAN TO NFS TO THE MURR. WHEN A H MAN’S ATHBED NFSN EXONERAT JULIAN AFTER 15 YEARS BEHD BARS, HE TRI TO REBUILD A LIFE, WHILE A GUILT-RIDN JOAN TRI TO TRACK DOWN THE PEOPLE RPONSIBLE FOR AMG JULIAN.VANY FAIR RECENTLY SPOKE WH O’DONNELL ABOUT PLAYG A CHARACTER ORIGALLY NCEIVED AS A MAN, BRGG QUEERNS TO A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AND FDG HER NEXT VELOPMENT PROJECT ON TIKTOK.VANY FAIR: WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE ROLE OF DETECTIVE SUNDAY THIS VERSN OF AMERIN GIGOLO?ROSIE O’DONNELL: WELL, WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I WAS OFFERED A ROLE WHOUT HAVG TO READ OR DN. THEY JT SAID, “ARE YOU AVAILABLE? THEY WANT YOU FOR THIS PART.” IT WAS ORIGALLY WRTEN FOR A MAN, SO MY AGENT SAID, “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO CHANGE ANYTHG, THEY JT WANT YOU TO DO THAT.” THE FACT THAT WAS DAVID HOLLANR AT THE BEGNG, WHO HAD DONE RAY DONOVAN, WHICH IS SUCH A WONRFUL STUDY CHARACTERS AND SUCH AN EMOTNALLY GRIPPG SERI, MEANT THAT I WAS VERY HAPPY TO WORK WH HIM. I THOUGHT WOULD BE A WONRFUL THG FOR ME MY REER TO BE ABLE TO WORK WH SOMEONE WHO WAS SUCH A GENI AT WHAT HE DO. THEN HE GOT LET GO, WHICH WAS WEIRD. THE REASON A LOT OF DID THE SHOW WAS REALLY TO WORK WH HIM.SCE YOU BROUGHT UP DAVID HOLLANR’S PARTURE: SOMETHG SIAR HAPPENED ON SMILF. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS LIKE, AND HOW THE PRODUCTN CHANGED AFTER HE WAS NOT VOLVED ANYMORE?WH SMILF DIDN’T HAPPEN THAT WAY, BEE THE SHOW WAS ALREADY OVER BEFORE ANY PLATS [WERE] LODGED. WE HAD DONE TWO SEASONS AND WERE WAG ON DOG THE THIRD. THERE WERE PLANS TO GO TO IRELAND, AND THEN ALL KD OF EXPLOD— A KD OF CRAZY “ME TOO” SORT OF WAY, BUT NOT ACTUALLY. IT WAS VERY PLITED. I DON’T KNOW. BOTH TIM I REALLY ADMIRED THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS WORKG WH WHO WERE ACCED OF THGS. [SMILF CREATOR AND STAR] FRANKIE SHAW, I BELIEVE, IS A GENI, AND IS VERY KD, AND I KNOW HER MY REAL LIFE AND I WAS THERE. ALTHOUGH EVERY SHOOT IS CHAOTIC, BEE YOU’RE FIGHTG AGAST THE CLOCK, WAS A WELL-N SHOW, AND I THK THAT THE END PRODUCT REALLY TELLS YOU THAT.BUT I DON’T KNOW. THAT WENT AWAY AND WAS VERY VASTATG TO ME. I REALLY LOVED THAT ROLE. I THK THE REASON THAT I’VE BEEN GETTG ALL THE OTHER ROL RECENTLY IS BEE OF SMILF. THEN THIS HAPPENED SORT OF OUT OF THE BLUE. WE WERE TOLD ONE DAY THAT DAVID WAS LET GO, AND THEY DIDN’T REALLY EXPLA WHY. WE JT [HAD] A NEW TEAM E , AND WE HAD A UPLE WEEKS OFF WHILE THEY TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND FISHED .MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISBUT ’S ALWAYS UNNERVG WHEN THE PEOPLE CHARGE ARE NO LONGER CHARGE AND YOU HAVE NEW PEOPLE THE MIDDLE OF DOG SOMETHG. IT’S UNNERVG, BUT I THK THEY REALLY DID PULL TOGETHER AND MAKE A SHOW THAT I THK EVERYBODY WILL ENJOY.IT MT HAVE BEEN PECIALLY HARD FOR YOU GIVEN THAT, AS YOU SAID, WAS YOUR FIRST OFFER-ONLY ROLE. WAS STRANGE TO ADAPT TO THE NEW PEOPLE THAT ME ?Y, WAS VERY HARD. EVERYBODY WAS NFED; NOBODY REALLY UNRSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENG. THERE WERE LOTS OF MORS ON THE SET. I REACHED OUT TO DAVID JT TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS OKAY, AND TO TELL HIM THAT IF HE EVER WANTED TO TALK OR GO HAVE A FFEE, JT TO LET ME KNOW. WE’VE DONE THAT A UPLE TIM.I REALLY ADMIRE HIS ABILY TO PUT TOGETHER BETIFULLY EPLY EMOTNAL CHARACTERS, AND I THK A LOT OF ON THE SET WERE EXCED TO WORK WH HIM, SO WAS A VERY BIG SHIFT DIRECTN AND ENERGY. IN THE MIDDLE OF A SERI WHEN YOU’RE ALREADY EXHSTED AND KD OF WORN OUT, THE HOUR-LONG DRAMA IS A LONG, HARD SCHLE. IT’S LIKE BEG A MOVIE FOR SIX MONTHS.LET’S GET BACK TO YOUR CHARACTER. FUNDAMENTAL TO SUNDAY IS THAT SHE HELPED RCERATE AN NOCENT PERSON, JULIAN. HER NEED TO FIX THAT IS DRIVG HER CHARACTER GOG FORWARD.SHE’S REALLY GUILT-RIDN ABOUT HER MENTAL STATE WHEN SHE FORCED HIM TO NFS, AND THAT’S WHAT DRIV HER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO SET HIM UP AND WHO’S OUT TO GET HIM. I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY A WONRFUL NOTE TO PLAY, THIS ONE MOMENT WHERE SHE KD OF TRAD HER ETHICS FOR HER EMOTNAL TTH.SHE WAS BREAKG UP WH HER SPOE, AND THEY WERE FIGHTG, AND HER PARTNER WAS MOVG OUT OF THE HOE. ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS SH THROUGH THE TERVIEW WH JULIAN AND GET HOME AND GET DONE, AND SHE REALIZ THAT SHE WAS RPONSIBLE FOR JULIAN BEG RCERATED, LOSG 15 YEARS OF HIS LIFE, WHEN HE WASN’T THE MURRER.BEE HE’S EXONERATED, JULIAN’S ON HIS OWN AS A EE PERSON WHOUT A PAROLE OFFICER TO REPORT TO OR GUI HIM. BUT THE EVENTS OF THE SERI SORT OF FORCE YOUR CHARACTER, JOAN, TO THAT KD OF RELATNSHIP WH HIM. YOU’VE PLAYED A LOT OF CHARACTERS RG PROFSNS, SO WHAT DID YOU THK ABOUT THIS P SORT OF FALLG TO THAT TEGORY AS WELL?WELL, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I’VE PLAYED AN AGGRSIVE, PRSED, 60-SOMETHG-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO HAS THIS ONE THG CLAWG AT HER MD THAT SHE N’T GET RID OF. I THK THAT IS WHAT REALLY DO MOTIVATE HER, HER GUILT AND HER WORRYG. THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS WRTEN FOR A GUY, AND THAT THEY JT WANTED TO ST ME AND NOT CHANGE ANYTHG. IT’S NOT LIKE THEY SAID, “OH, WE HAVE ROSIE O’DONNELL, LET’S REWRE THIS.” NO, I JT DID MY WAY.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISI THK WAS REALLY SMART OF DAVID AND THE STG PEOPLE TO HAVE A WOMAN THAT ROLE, BEE THE CHARACTER OF JULIAN HAS A LOT OF DYSFUNCTN WH THE WOMEN HIS LIFE. NO ONE EVER THOUGHT, WHEN WATCHG AMERIN GIGOLO, WHAT MA HIM BEE A GIGOLO? THE SHOW ALS WH THE GROOMG AND THE SEXUAL TRAFFICKG OF YOUNG BOYS, WHICH YOU DON’T SEE TALKED ABOUT TOO MUCH.AMERIN GIGOLO’S YOUR SEND SERI ADAPTATN OF A CLASSIC FILM THIS YEAR: YOU ALSO HAVE A GUT ROLE PRIME VIO’S A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. YOU’VE SAID THAT THE ORIGAL FILM, DORIS WAS QUEER YOUR MD, WHETHER PENNY MARSHALL LET YOU N WH THAT OR NOT. HOW DID FEEL SHOWG UP ON THIS LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SET, WHICH IS SO UNABASHEDLY QUEER?WELL, FIRST OF ALL, TO WALK AT 60 YEARS OLD AND SEE MY LIFE 30 YEARS AGO, ALL THE WOMEN OUR OUTFS AND ALL THE MTS— WAS JT SUCH A FLASHBACK. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I LOVED DOG . I LOVED WATCHG THE WOMEN AT THE BEGNG OF THEIR REERS. I REALLY THK THAT THE GAY PART WAS SO BETIFULLY TOLD. IT WAS WONRFUL TO SEE .WHEN WE DID THE MOVIE, THERE WAS THAT ONE SCENE [WHERE] I’M ON THE B: “I NEVER FELT LIKE A REAL GIRL OR EVEN A GIRL, BUT NOW I SEE THERE’S A LOT OF , WE’RE ALL OKAY.” TO ME, THAT WAS HER SAYG SHE FOUND HER TRIBE, RIGHT? THERE WERE GAY WOMEN OR ATHLETIC WOMEN OR WOMEN LIKE HER, AND MY CHARACTER, I THOUGHT, WAS LOVE WH MAE AND DIDN’T MAYBE KNOW HOW TO EXPRS . BUT WAS 1991 WHEN WE SHOT , OR 1990, AND THE TIM WERE DIFFERENT. YOU DON’T REALIZE UNTIL YOU’RE SORT OF FACED WH THE NEW SHOW WHAT ULD HAVE BEEN.I’M SO TOUCHED BY THE FACT THAT [CREATOR AND STAR] ABBI JABSON WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS FIGURG OUT HER SEXUALY WATCHG THAT MOVIE, AND FEELG LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHG MISSG. [SHOOTG THE FILM,] WHEN WE MET THE REAL PLAYERS, WHO WERE THEIR 70S—80S, SOME OF THEM—THEY WOULD SAY, “OH, THIS IS MY ROOMMATE, BETSY.” I’M LIKE, “OH, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ROOMMAT?” “OH, 27 YEARS.”SO WAS FELY A PART THAT WAS LEFT OUT. WHEN I DID THAT SCENE, PENNY SAID, [O’DONNELL PUTS ON A PENNY MARSHALL VOICE] “ROSIE, DON’T DO SO GAY.” I WAS LIKE, “WELL, I’M JT DOG THE WORDS AS THEY’RE WRTEN.” “WELL, DO AGA, BUT DON’T THK OF SO GAY.” “OKAY, PEN.” BUT I DID THE SAME WAY EACH TIME, BEE THAT WAS THE WAY WAS REAL TO ME.1991 OR ’90, WHEN WE WERE SHOOTG, THERE WAS NO WILL & GRACE, THERE WAS NO ELLEN BEG OUT. I DON’T THK ANYONE THOUGHT, OH, WELL, THEY’RE REALLY LEAVG OUT THE GAY STUFF. BROKEBACK MOUNTA HADN’T HAPPENED YET. THERE WERE LOTS OF CULTURAL EVENTS FOR THE GAY MUNY THAT WE HADN’T YET LIVED, AND SO JT TOUCH ME TO SEE WHAT ABBI HAS DONE AND HOW SHE RPORATED THE REALY OF THE BLACK WOMEN THE LEAGUE AND THE GAY WOMEN THE LEAGUE AND KD OF OPENED UP TO A 2022 WORLDVIEW.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISI’M 60, SO WHEN LOVE, SIDNEY ME OUT, I WAS A TEEN OR SOMETHG. I REMEMBER THEM TALKG ABOUT CHURCH. TONY RANDALL PLAYG A GAY MAN WHOSE PARTNER HAD DIED, AND THE ONLY REFERENCE YOU SAW TO WAS A BIG PHOTO OF HIM, THE MAN WHO DIED, ON THE FIREPLACE. AT THE END OF ONE EPISO, HE WENT AND LOOKED UP LOVGLY TO THAT PICTURE AND THE SHOW WAS [PRACTILLY] NCELED THE NEXT DAY.I MEAN, I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE OUT CHARACTERS: SOAP, THERE WAS A GAY CHARACTER, AND A LBIAN WOMAN, BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK LONG AND HARD TO FD WHERE GAY PRENCE WAS THE ’90S. IT WAS KD OF NOWHERE. IT WAS THE SAME WH ME AND MY [TALK] SHOW, THAT NO ONE EVER ASKED ME. IT WASN’T LIKE PEOPLE WERE GOG, “BOY, IS ROSIE GAY? I’M GOG TO BRG THIS UP.” IT WASN’T DISCSED. I WOULD DO TERVIEWS LIKE THIS WH VANY FAIR AND ALL OF THE MAGAZ WHEN I WAS DOG THE SHOW, AND WASN’T A TOPIC THAT PEOPLE SKIRTED.NOW, THERE WAS ONE TERVIEW THAT I DID WH A GUY NAMED, I THK, PATRICK PACHE, AND WAS FOR COSMO AND HE ASKED ME, “ARE YOU SGLE AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKG FOR?” I SAID, “EVERYONE N APPLY, TST ME. IF YOU’RE A HUMAN AND YOU GOT A HEARTBEAT, YOU N APPLY.” LOIS SMH, WHO WAS THEN MY PUBLICIST—THIS LEGENDARY PUBLICIST OF MARILYN MONROE’S, SHE FORMED PMK TOGETHER WH PAT KGSLEY—SHE LLED HELEN GURLEY BROWN HERSELF AND ASKED HER TO TAKE THAT OUT, AND HELEN GURLEY BROWN DID, RIGHT? SO EVEN IF A REPORTER HAD THE MOXIE TO TRY TO TALK ABOUT THAT, WAS SHUT DOWN AT OTHER LEVELS.SO, WAS A DIFFERENT TIME. I THK THE CULTURE HAS BEEN READY FOR THIS. I MEAN, I N’T GO ON MY TIKTOK WHOUT SEEG EVERY OTHER TIKTOK ABOUT LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. IT’S REALLY H PEOPLE. I MEAN, MY AMOUNT OF BEG REGNIZED PUBLIC HAS DRASTILLY CHANGED THE LAST WEEK OR TWO. I’M WALKG THROUGH MALIBU, A LTLE SHOPPG CENTER, “HEY, ROSIE. LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.” “Y, 30 YEARS AGO, THAT WAS ME.” IT SEEMS WILD THAT I’M GETTG KNOWN AGA FOR THE FIRST ROLE I PLAYED MY ENTERTAMENT REER.YOU’VE SPOKEN ABOUT GETTG MORE ACTG WORK YOUR 60S, BUT ALSO SEEMS LIKE YOU’RE ALG WH TOUGHER MATERIAL MOST OF THE TIME. ARE THERE EDIC ROL YOU’RE LOOKG AT FOR THE FUTURE, OR ARE THOSE NO LONGER A CHALLENGE THAT YOU LOOK FOR?I’M LOOKG FOR GOOD STUFF. I MEAN, I’M LOOKG FOR ANYTHG. I WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED TO DOG A TRADNAL S OR A S LIKE RICKY GERVAIS’S AFTER LIFE, OR BETTER THGS—KD OF A REALISTIC DRAMEDY. I’M OPEN FOR WHATEVER .I’M SO GRATEFUL THAT I’M GETTG ALL THE ROL, BUT I REALLY DID THK WHEN I WAS A YOUNGER ACTRS, BOY, WHEN I H MY 60S AND I’M OLR WH GRAY HAIR, I’M GOG TO HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ROL THAT GERALDE PAGE GOT HER OLD AGE. BEE THERE AREN’T A LOT OF WOMEN WHO HAVEN’T HAD SURGERY WHO LOOK KD OF REAL. YOU FD SOME 60-YEAR-OLD ACTRS HAVE SO MUCH WORK DONE THAT THEY DON’T EVEN LOOK LIKE REAL PEOPLE WHEN YOU SEE THEM A MOVIE, RIGHT? SO I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE A BENEF AND THAT I WOULD WORK A LOT, AND ’S BEEN G TE THE LAST UPLE YEARS.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISAFTER LIFE AND BETTER THGS ARE BOTH SHOWS THAT THEIR STARS CREATED. IS THAT SOMETHG YOU WOULD NSIR, MAKG A VEHICLE FOR YOURSELF?YEAH, I’VE BEEN THKG ABOUT THAT AND WORKG WH SOME IENDS. BUT I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE LIFE RIGHTS TO A WOMAN I SAW ON TIKTOK…SHE WAS CHARGED WH EMBEZZLEMENT OVER $200,000 WHEN SHE WAS HER 20S AND SHE HAD FIVE CHILDREN. SHE THOUGHT, BEE WAS HER FIRST OFFENSE AND THE LAWYER WAS NOT REALLY UP TO PAR, THAT SHE WAS GOG TO GET PROBATN, AND SHE END UP GETTG 20 YEARS.WELL, SHE'S JT FISHED SERVG 10 YEARS, AND NOW SHE’S LIVG HER LIFE ON THE OUTSI AND DOG THE TIKTOKS ABOUT WHAT WAS LIKE PRISON. IT WAS NOT LIKE ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK. IT WAS 140 GRE THE SUMMER AND THEY WOULD SPRAY THEIR FLOOR WH WATER ORR TO NOT HAVE A SEIZURE BEE WAS SO FUCKG HOT.OUT OF THE BLUE I SENT HER A DM AND TOLD HER, “I'D LIKE TO BUY YOUR LIFE RIGHTS FOR TWO YEARS AND TAKE THIS TIME TO REALLY WORK ON MAKG A SHOW.”… SHE’S NOW ONLY 30-SOMETHG. THE SHOW WOULD BE ABOUT WHAT HER LIFE IS LIKE ON THE OUTSI AND WHAT WAS BACK PRISON AND HOW SHE’S TRYG TO RENNECT AND GET THE LOST TIME BACK WH HER CHILDREN AND HER MOTHER AND FATHER.SO, I’M GOG TO BE ACTIVELY WORKG ON THAT NEXT, AND TRY TO VELOP THAT FOR ANOTHER ACTRS TO DO, BUT I HAVEN’T REALLY THOUGHT OF WHAT I WOULD LOVE FOR ME. I ALWAYS THK I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY A NURSE, BEE I LOVE NURS. THEY N THE HOSPAL; THEY KEEP THE SPIR OF THE PATIENTS ALIVE. ANY TIME I’VE BEEN THE HOSPAL, WH MY HEART ATTACK OR MY STAPH FECTN, ’S BEEN THE NURS THAT LOVE PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE. SO PART OF ME WOULD LOVE TO DO SOMETHG ABOUT NURS, BUT I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE ACTORS STRIKE IS ON, THROWG HOLLYWOOD INTO TURMOILWHY A SEND TMP ADMISTRATN WOULD BE MUCH WORSEIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERIS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?THE BIGGT SNUBS AND SURPRIS OF THIS YEAR’S EMMY NOMATNSWHERE TO WATCH THE 2023 EMMY NOMEFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)TARA ARIANO
• ROSIE O'DONNELL GETS CANDID AS SHE RELLS COMG OUT AS GAY ON TV AFTER 9/11
• ROSIE O'DONNELL SAYS OPRAH WEY IS NOT GAY
• ROSIE O'DONNELL REVEALS COSMOPOLAN STOPPED HER FROM COMG OUT AS GAY IN 1992 ARTICLE
• MEET ROSIE O'DONNELL'S BROTHER DANIEL WHO WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
• ROSIE O'DONNELL GETS CANDID AS SHE RELLS COMG OUT AS GAY ON TV AFTER 9/11
• ROSIE O'DONNELL SAYS OPRAH WEY IS NOT GAY
• CAGNEY & LACEY'S SHARON GLS WONRED IF SHE WAS GAY AFTER ON-SCREEN KISS WH ROSIE O'DONNELL
• ROSIE O'DONNELL REVEALS COSMOPOLAN STOPPED HER FROM COMG OUT AS GAY IN 1992 ARTICLE
• ‘NOW AND THEN’: ROSIE O’DONNELL PORTRAYED ROBERTA MART AS A LBIAN EVEN THOUGH PRODUCTN ‘REMOVED A LOT OF THE GAY STUFF’
• ROSIE O'DONNELL TOLD NBC EXECS SHE WAS GAY AHEAD OF DAYTIME TALK SHOW: 'I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FD THIS OUT AS A SURPRISE'
• ROSIE O’DONNELL THKS WHNEY HOTON WAS ‘TROUBLED BY THE GAY PART OF HER LIFE’
• ROSIE O’DONNELL GETS SERTHE DTRY VET ON BRGG QUEERNS TO A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, BEHD-THE-SCEN CHAOS, AND STARRG A NEW TAKE ON AMERIN GIGOLO.BY TARA ARIANOSEPTEMBER 6, 2022GEENA DAVIS, MADONNA, AND ROSIE O'DONNELL A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, 1992.BY COLUMBIA PICTUR/COURTY EVERETT COLLECTN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVETHIRTY YEARS AGO THIS SUMMER, ROSIE O’DONNELL KICKED OFF HER FILM REER AT THIRD BASE, BOTH LERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY. SHE STARS PENNY MARSHALL’S A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN AS DORIS MURPHY, WHO LEAV STATEN ISLAND TO PLAY FOR THE ROCKFORD PEACH THE NEWLY CREATED ALL-AMERIN GIRLS PROFSNAL BASEBALL LEAGUE. THE FILM’S ENSEMBLE IS HEADLED BY GEENA DAVIS AND TOM HANKS, WH DORIS AND HER TEAMMATE AND BT IEND OM BACK HOME—“ALL THE WAY” MAE, PLAYED BY MADONNA—MOSTLY SERVG AS IC RELIEF.THE NEXT SUMMER, O’DONNELL RETEAMED WH HANKS FOR NORA EPHRON’S SLEEPLS SEATTLE, ANOTHER STANT CLASSIC. MORE FILM ROL FOLLOWED; THEN A LONG-NNG NAMAKE DAYTIME SHOW; THEN A UPLE OF STTS ON THE PANEL AT THE VIEW. MORE RECENTLY, THE WOMAN WHO PART STARTED OUT AS A STAND-UP HAS BEEN PLAYG MORE EMOTNALLY CHALLENGG ROL: SOCIAL WORKERS THE FOSTERS AND I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TE; AN ALHOLIC LAWYER REVERY WHO BREAKS HER SOBRIETY THE L WORD: GENERATN Q; A STGGLG BOSTON GRANDMOTHER SMILF. EVEN HER GUT APPEARANCE AS A BAR OWNER PRIME VIO’S NEW SERI REMAKE OF A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN IS—NO SPOILERS—CENTRAL TO ONE OF THE SEASON’S DARKT MOMENTS.LEAGUE ISN’T O’DONNELL’S ONLY FILM-TO-TV PROJECT THIS YEAR. SHE PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE AMERIN GIGOLO, SHOWTIME’S SERI ADAPTATN OF PL SCHRAR’S ACCLAIMED 1980 FILM. THE SHOW, OUT SEPTEMBER 9, STARS JON BERNTHAL AS JULIAN, THE TULAR SEX WORKER; AS THE FILM, JULIAN IS FALSELY ACCED OF MURRG ONE OF HIS CLIENTS, AND PURSUED BY DETECTIVE SUNDAY OF THE LAPD. BUT WHEREAS THE FILM STARS HéCTOR ELIZONDO AS JOE SUNDAY, THE SERI REIMAG THE CHARACTER AS JOAN SUNDAY (O’DONNELL), WHO NVC JULIAN TO NFS TO THE MURR. WHEN A H MAN’S ATHBED NFSN EXONERAT JULIAN AFTER 15 YEARS BEHD BARS, HE TRI TO REBUILD A LIFE, WHILE A GUILT-RIDN JOAN TRI TO TRACK DOWN THE PEOPLE RPONSIBLE FOR AMG JULIAN.VANY FAIR RECENTLY SPOKE WH O’DONNELL ABOUT PLAYG A CHARACTER ORIGALLY NCEIVED AS A MAN, BRGG QUEERNS TO A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AND FDG HER NEXT VELOPMENT PROJECT ON TIKTOK.VANY FAIR: WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE ROLE OF DETECTIVE SUNDAY THIS VERSN OF AMERIN GIGOLO?ROSIE O’DONNELL: WELL, WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I WAS OFFERED A ROLE WHOUT HAVG TO READ OR DN. THEY JT SAID, “ARE YOU AVAILABLE? THEY WANT YOU FOR THIS PART.” IT WAS ORIGALLY WRTEN FOR A MAN, SO MY AGENT SAID, “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO CHANGE ANYTHG, THEY JT WANT YOU TO DO THAT.” THE FACT THAT WAS DAVID HOLLANR AT THE BEGNG, WHO HAD DONE RAY DONOVAN, WHICH IS SUCH A WONRFUL STUDY CHARACTERS AND SUCH AN EMOTNALLY GRIPPG SERI, MEANT THAT I WAS VERY HAPPY TO WORK WH HIM. I THOUGHT WOULD BE A WONRFUL THG FOR ME MY REER TO BE ABLE TO WORK WH SOMEONE WHO WAS SUCH A GENI AT WHAT HE DO. THEN HE GOT LET GO, WHICH WAS WEIRD. THE REASON A LOT OF DID THE SHOW WAS REALLY TO WORK WH HIM.SCE YOU BROUGHT UP DAVID HOLLANR’S PARTURE: SOMETHG SIAR HAPPENED ON SMILF. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS LIKE, AND HOW THE PRODUCTN CHANGED AFTER HE WAS NOT VOLVED ANYMORE?WH SMILF DIDN’T HAPPEN THAT WAY, BEE THE SHOW WAS ALREADY OVER BEFORE ANY PLATS [WERE] LODGED. WE HAD DONE TWO SEASONS AND WERE WAG ON DOG THE THIRD. THERE WERE PLANS TO GO TO IRELAND, AND THEN ALL KD OF EXPLOD— A KD OF CRAZY “ME TOO” SORT OF WAY, BUT NOT ACTUALLY. IT WAS VERY PLITED. I DON’T KNOW. BOTH TIM I REALLY ADMIRED THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS WORKG WH WHO WERE ACCED OF THGS. [SMILF CREATOR AND STAR] FRANKIE SHAW, I BELIEVE, IS A GENI, AND IS VERY KD, AND I KNOW HER MY REAL LIFE AND I WAS THERE. ALTHOUGH EVERY SHOOT IS CHAOTIC, BEE YOU’RE FIGHTG AGAST THE CLOCK, WAS A WELL-N SHOW, AND I THK THAT THE END PRODUCT REALLY TELLS YOU THAT.BUT I DON’T KNOW. THAT WENT AWAY AND WAS VERY VASTATG TO ME. I REALLY LOVED THAT ROLE. I THK THE REASON THAT I’VE BEEN GETTG ALL THE OTHER ROL RECENTLY IS BEE OF SMILF. THEN THIS HAPPENED SORT OF OUT OF THE BLUE. WE WERE TOLD ONE DAY THAT DAVID WAS LET GO, AND THEY DIDN’T REALLY EXPLA WHY. WE JT [HAD] A NEW TEAM E , AND WE HAD A UPLE WEEKS OFF WHILE THEY TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND FISHED .MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISBUT ’S ALWAYS UNNERVG WHEN THE PEOPLE CHARGE ARE NO LONGER CHARGE AND YOU HAVE NEW PEOPLE THE MIDDLE OF DOG SOMETHG. IT’S UNNERVG, BUT I THK THEY REALLY DID PULL TOGETHER AND MAKE A SHOW THAT I THK EVERYBODY WILL ENJOY.IT MT HAVE BEEN PECIALLY HARD FOR YOU GIVEN THAT, AS YOU SAID, WAS YOUR FIRST OFFER-ONLY ROLE. WAS STRANGE TO ADAPT TO THE NEW PEOPLE THAT ME ?Y, WAS VERY HARD. EVERYBODY WAS NFED; NOBODY REALLY UNRSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENG. THERE WERE LOTS OF MORS ON THE SET. I REACHED OUT TO DAVID JT TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS OKAY, AND TO TELL HIM THAT IF HE EVER WANTED TO TALK OR GO HAVE A FFEE, JT TO LET ME KNOW. WE’VE DONE THAT A UPLE TIM.I REALLY ADMIRE HIS ABILY TO PUT TOGETHER BETIFULLY EPLY EMOTNAL CHARACTERS, AND I THK A LOT OF ON THE SET WERE EXCED TO WORK WH HIM, SO WAS A VERY BIG SHIFT DIRECTN AND ENERGY. IN THE MIDDLE OF A SERI WHEN YOU’RE ALREADY EXHSTED AND KD OF WORN OUT, THE HOUR-LONG DRAMA IS A LONG, HARD SCHLE. IT’S LIKE BEG A MOVIE FOR SIX MONTHS.LET’S GET BACK TO YOUR CHARACTER. FUNDAMENTAL TO SUNDAY IS THAT SHE HELPED RCERATE AN NOCENT PERSON, JULIAN. HER NEED TO FIX THAT IS DRIVG HER CHARACTER GOG FORWARD.SHE’S REALLY GUILT-RIDN ABOUT HER MENTAL STATE WHEN SHE FORCED HIM TO NFS, AND THAT’S WHAT DRIV HER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO SET HIM UP AND WHO’S OUT TO GET HIM. I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY A WONRFUL NOTE TO PLAY, THIS ONE MOMENT WHERE SHE KD OF TRAD HER ETHICS FOR HER EMOTNAL TTH.SHE WAS BREAKG UP WH HER SPOE, AND THEY WERE FIGHTG, AND HER PARTNER WAS MOVG OUT OF THE HOE. ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS SH THROUGH THE TERVIEW WH JULIAN AND GET HOME AND GET DONE, AND SHE REALIZ THAT SHE WAS RPONSIBLE FOR JULIAN BEG RCERATED, LOSG 15 YEARS OF HIS LIFE, WHEN HE WASN’T THE MURRER.BEE HE’S EXONERATED, JULIAN’S ON HIS OWN AS A EE PERSON WHOUT A PAROLE OFFICER TO REPORT TO OR GUI HIM. BUT THE EVENTS OF THE SERI SORT OF FORCE YOUR CHARACTER, JOAN, TO THAT KD OF RELATNSHIP WH HIM. YOU’VE PLAYED A LOT OF CHARACTERS RG PROFSNS, SO WHAT DID YOU THK ABOUT THIS P SORT OF FALLG TO THAT TEGORY AS WELL?WELL, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I’VE PLAYED AN AGGRSIVE, PRSED, 60-SOMETHG-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO HAS THIS ONE THG CLAWG AT HER MD THAT SHE N’T GET RID OF. I THK THAT IS WHAT REALLY DO MOTIVATE HER, HER GUILT AND HER WORRYG. THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS WRTEN FOR A GUY, AND THAT THEY JT WANTED TO ST ME AND NOT CHANGE ANYTHG. IT’S NOT LIKE THEY SAID, “OH, WE HAVE ROSIE O’DONNELL, LET’S REWRE THIS.” NO, I JT DID MY WAY.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISI THK WAS REALLY SMART OF DAVID AND THE STG PEOPLE TO HAVE A WOMAN THAT ROLE, BEE THE CHARACTER OF JULIAN HAS A LOT OF DYSFUNCTN WH THE WOMEN HIS LIFE. NO ONE EVER THOUGHT, WHEN WATCHG AMERIN GIGOLO, WHAT MA HIM BEE A GIGOLO? THE SHOW ALS WH THE GROOMG AND THE SEXUAL TRAFFICKG OF YOUNG BOYS, WHICH YOU DON’T SEE TALKED ABOUT TOO MUCH.AMERIN GIGOLO’S YOUR SEND SERI ADAPTATN OF A CLASSIC FILM THIS YEAR: YOU ALSO HAVE A GUT ROLE PRIME VIO’S A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. YOU’VE SAID THAT THE ORIGAL FILM, DORIS WAS QUEER YOUR MD, WHETHER PENNY MARSHALL LET YOU N WH THAT OR NOT. HOW DID FEEL SHOWG UP ON THIS LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SET, WHICH IS SO UNABASHEDLY QUEER?WELL, FIRST OF ALL, TO WALK AT 60 YEARS OLD AND SEE MY LIFE 30 YEARS AGO, ALL THE WOMEN OUR OUTFS AND ALL THE MTS— WAS JT SUCH A FLASHBACK. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I LOVED DOG . I LOVED WATCHG THE WOMEN AT THE BEGNG OF THEIR REERS. I REALLY THK THAT THE GAY PART WAS SO BETIFULLY TOLD. IT WAS WONRFUL TO SEE .WHEN WE DID THE MOVIE, THERE WAS THAT ONE SCENE [WHERE] I’M ON THE B: “I NEVER FELT LIKE A REAL GIRL OR EVEN A GIRL, BUT NOW I SEE THERE’S A LOT OF , WE’RE ALL OKAY.” TO ME, THAT WAS HER SAYG SHE FOUND HER TRIBE, RIGHT? THERE WERE GAY WOMEN OR ATHLETIC WOMEN OR WOMEN LIKE HER, AND MY CHARACTER, I THOUGHT, WAS LOVE WH MAE AND DIDN’T MAYBE KNOW HOW TO EXPRS . BUT WAS 1991 WHEN WE SHOT , OR 1990, AND THE TIM WERE DIFFERENT. YOU DON’T REALIZE UNTIL YOU’RE SORT OF FACED WH THE NEW SHOW WHAT ULD HAVE BEEN.I’M SO TOUCHED BY THE FACT THAT [CREATOR AND STAR] ABBI JABSON WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS FIGURG OUT HER SEXUALY WATCHG THAT MOVIE, AND FEELG LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHG MISSG. [SHOOTG THE FILM,] WHEN WE MET THE REAL PLAYERS, WHO WERE THEIR 70S—80S, SOME OF THEM—THEY WOULD SAY, “OH, THIS IS MY ROOMMATE, BETSY.” I’M LIKE, “OH, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ROOMMAT?” “OH, 27 YEARS.”SO WAS FELY A PART THAT WAS LEFT OUT. WHEN I DID THAT SCENE, PENNY SAID, [O’DONNELL PUTS ON A PENNY MARSHALL VOICE] “ROSIE, DON’T DO SO GAY.” I WAS LIKE, “WELL, I’M JT DOG THE WORDS AS THEY’RE WRTEN.” “WELL, DO AGA, BUT DON’T THK OF SO GAY.” “OKAY, PEN.” BUT I DID THE SAME WAY EACH TIME, BEE THAT WAS THE WAY WAS REAL TO ME.1991 OR ’90, WHEN WE WERE SHOOTG, THERE WAS NO WILL & GRACE, THERE WAS NO ELLEN BEG OUT. I DON’T THK ANYONE THOUGHT, OH, WELL, THEY’RE REALLY LEAVG OUT THE GAY STUFF. BROKEBACK MOUNTA HADN’T HAPPENED YET. THERE WERE LOTS OF CULTURAL EVENTS FOR THE GAY MUNY THAT WE HADN’T YET LIVED, AND SO JT TOUCH ME TO SEE WHAT ABBI HAS DONE AND HOW SHE RPORATED THE REALY OF THE BLACK WOMEN THE LEAGUE AND THE GAY WOMEN THE LEAGUE AND KD OF OPENED UP TO A 2022 WORLDVIEW.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISI’M 60, SO WHEN LOVE, SIDNEY ME OUT, I WAS A TEEN OR SOMETHG. I REMEMBER THEM TALKG ABOUT CHURCH. TONY RANDALL PLAYG A GAY MAN WHOSE PARTNER HAD DIED, AND THE ONLY REFERENCE YOU SAW TO WAS A BIG PHOTO OF HIM, THE MAN WHO DIED, ON THE FIREPLACE. AT THE END OF ONE EPISO, HE WENT AND LOOKED UP LOVGLY TO THAT PICTURE AND THE SHOW WAS [PRACTILLY] NCELED THE NEXT DAY.I MEAN, I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE OUT CHARACTERS: SOAP, THERE WAS A GAY CHARACTER, AND A LBIAN WOMAN, BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK LONG AND HARD TO FD WHERE GAY PRENCE WAS THE ’90S. IT WAS KD OF NOWHERE. IT WAS THE SAME WH ME AND MY [TALK] SHOW, THAT NO ONE EVER ASKED ME. IT WASN’T LIKE PEOPLE WERE GOG, “BOY, IS ROSIE GAY? I’M GOG TO BRG THIS UP.” IT WASN’T DISCSED. I WOULD DO TERVIEWS LIKE THIS WH VANY FAIR AND ALL OF THE MAGAZ WHEN I WAS DOG THE SHOW, AND WASN’T A TOPIC THAT PEOPLE SKIRTED.NOW, THERE WAS ONE TERVIEW THAT I DID WH A GUY NAMED, I THK, PATRICK PACHE, AND WAS FOR COSMO AND HE ASKED ME, “ARE YOU SGLE AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKG FOR?” I SAID, “EVERYONE N APPLY, TST ME. IF YOU’RE A HUMAN AND YOU GOT A HEARTBEAT, YOU N APPLY.” LOIS SMH, WHO WAS THEN MY PUBLICIST—THIS LEGENDARY PUBLICIST OF MARILYN MONROE’S, SHE FORMED PMK TOGETHER WH PAT KGSLEY—SHE LLED HELEN GURLEY BROWN HERSELF AND ASKED HER TO TAKE THAT OUT, AND HELEN GURLEY BROWN DID, RIGHT? SO EVEN IF A REPORTER HAD THE MOXIE TO TRY TO TALK ABOUT THAT, WAS SHUT DOWN AT OTHER LEVELS.SO, WAS A DIFFERENT TIME. I THK THE CULTURE HAS BEEN READY FOR THIS. I MEAN, I N’T GO ON MY TIKTOK WHOUT SEEG EVERY OTHER TIKTOK ABOUT LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. IT’S REALLY H PEOPLE. I MEAN, MY AMOUNT OF BEG REGNIZED PUBLIC HAS DRASTILLY CHANGED THE LAST WEEK OR TWO. I’M WALKG THROUGH MALIBU, A LTLE SHOPPG CENTER, “HEY, ROSIE. LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.” “Y, 30 YEARS AGO, THAT WAS ME.” IT SEEMS WILD THAT I’M GETTG KNOWN AGA FOR THE FIRST ROLE I PLAYED MY ENTERTAMENT REER.YOU’VE SPOKEN ABOUT GETTG MORE ACTG WORK YOUR 60S, BUT ALSO SEEMS LIKE YOU’RE ALG WH TOUGHER MATERIAL MOST OF THE TIME. ARE THERE EDIC ROL YOU’RE LOOKG AT FOR THE FUTURE, OR ARE THOSE NO LONGER A CHALLENGE THAT YOU LOOK FOR?I’M LOOKG FOR GOOD STUFF. I MEAN, I’M LOOKG FOR ANYTHG. I WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED TO DOG A TRADNAL S OR A S LIKE RICKY GERVAIS’S AFTER LIFE, OR BETTER THGS—KD OF A REALISTIC DRAMEDY. I’M OPEN FOR WHATEVER .I’M SO GRATEFUL THAT I’M GETTG ALL THE ROL, BUT I REALLY DID THK WHEN I WAS A YOUNGER ACTRS, BOY, WHEN I H MY 60S AND I’M OLR WH GRAY HAIR, I’M GOG TO HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ROL THAT GERALDE PAGE GOT HER OLD AGE. BEE THERE AREN’T A LOT OF WOMEN WHO HAVEN’T HAD SURGERY WHO LOOK KD OF REAL. YOU FD SOME 60-YEAR-OLD ACTRS HAVE SO MUCH WORK DONE THAT THEY DON’T EVEN LOOK LIKE REAL PEOPLE WHEN YOU SEE THEM A MOVIE, RIGHT? SO I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE A BENEF AND THAT I WOULD WORK A LOT, AND ’S BEEN G TE THE LAST UPLE YEARS.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISAFTER LIFE AND BETTER THGS ARE BOTH SHOWS THAT THEIR STARS CREATED. IS THAT SOMETHG YOU WOULD NSIR, MAKG A VEHICLE FOR YOURSELF?YEAH, I’VE BEEN THKG ABOUT THAT AND WORKG WH SOME IENDS. BUT I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE LIFE RIGHTS TO A WOMAN I SAW ON TIKTOK…SHE WAS CHARGED WH EMBEZZLEMENT OVER $200,000 WHEN SHE WAS HER 20S AND SHE HAD FIVE CHILDREN. SHE THOUGHT, BEE WAS HER FIRST OFFENSE AND THE LAWYER WAS NOT REALLY UP TO PAR, THAT SHE WAS GOG TO GET PROBATN, AND SHE END UP GETTG 20 YEARS.WELL, SHE'S JT FISHED SERVG 10 YEARS, AND NOW SHE’S LIVG HER LIFE ON THE OUTSI AND DOG THE TIKTOKS ABOUT WHAT WAS LIKE PRISON. IT WAS NOT LIKE ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK. IT WAS 140 GRE THE SUMMER AND THEY WOULD SPRAY THEIR FLOOR WH WATER ORR TO NOT HAVE A SEIZURE BEE WAS SO FUCKG HOT.OUT OF THE BLUE I SENT HER A DM AND TOLD HER, “I'D LIKE TO BUY YOUR LIFE RIGHTS FOR TWO YEARS AND TAKE THIS TIME TO REALLY WORK ON MAKG A SHOW.”… SHE’S NOW ONLY 30-SOMETHG. THE SHOW WOULD BE ABOUT WHAT HER LIFE IS LIKE ON THE OUTSI AND WHAT WAS BACK PRISON AND HOW SHE’S TRYG TO RENNECT AND GET THE LOST TIME BACK WH HER CHILDREN AND HER MOTHER AND FATHER.SO, I’M GOG TO BE ACTIVELY WORKG ON THAT NEXT, AND TRY TO VELOP THAT FOR ANOTHER ACTRS TO DO, BUT I HAVEN’T REALLY THOUGHT OF WHAT I WOULD LOVE FOR ME. I ALWAYS THK I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY A NURSE, BEE I LOVE NURS. THEY N THE HOSPAL; THEY KEEP THE SPIR OF THE PATIENTS ALIVE. ANY TIME I’VE BEEN THE HOSPAL, WH MY HEART ATTACK OR MY STAPH FECTN, ’S BEEN THE NURS THAT LOVE PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE. SO PART OF ME WOULD LOVE TO DO SOMETHG ABOUT NURS, BUT I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE ACTORS STRIKE IS ON, THROWG HOLLYWOOD INTO TURMOILWHY A SEND TMP ADMISTRATN WOULD BE MUCH WORSEIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERIS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?THE BIGGT SNUBS AND SURPRIS OF THIS YEAR’S EMMY NOMATNSWHERE TO WATCH THE 2023 EMMY NOMEFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)TARA ARIANO
• HOWARD STERN AND ROSIE O’DONNELL SLAM KID ROCK FOR SHOOTG BUD LIGHT CANS, SHOW SUPPORT FOR DYLAN MULVANEY: ‘GAY PEOPLE DRK BEER, TOO’
• ROSIE O’DONNELL SLAMS ‘MEAN’ KELLY RIPA, CLAIMS SHE ‘GAY BASHED’ CLAY AIKEN
• ROSIE O’DONNELL CALLED KELLY RIPA TO APOLOGIZE AFTER CALLG HER ‘MEAN,’ ACCG HER OF GAY-BASHG CLAY AIKEN

ROSIE O’DONNELL DCRIB PUBLICLY COMG OUT AS A GAY WOMAN ON TV

Rosie O’Donnell was the public eye for a long time as a closeted gay woman. “I was surprised that people thought I was not gay.

ROSIE O'DONNELL RELLS COMG OUT AS GAY AFTER 9/11 (EXCLIVE)

And I’m like, ‘I’m gay. Listen, 9/11 happened, I’m gay.

ROSIE O’DONNELL ON PHG TO PLAY HER CHARACTER GAY ‘A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN,’ DEPARTURE OF ‘AMERIN GIGOLO’ SHOWNNER

I’m tellg you all, I’m gay, se the buildgs blow up aga, I’m so, so gay'”.

Rosie ma sure her fans knew she was gay and that she was gog to live her tth after years of not beg vol about her sexualy.

But I, like you, Ey, was surprised that people thought I was not gay, " she says.

“BEG GAY WAS NEVER THE HARST PART”: ROSIE O’DONNELL ON HER SHOW, HER PAST, AND HER PASSN FOR BARBRA STREISAND

"I went to a edy club and I was dog stand-up and I'm like, "I'm gay. Listen, 9/11 happened, I'm gay. I'm tellg you all, I'm gay.

In se the buildgs blow up aga, I'm so, so gay, ' you know? Rosie O'Donnell is openg up about her sexualy and a past a clip om Wednday's episo of the "Red Table Talk" sp-off "Red Table Talk: The Estefans, " shar exclively wh USA TODAY, the openly gay edian got ndid about her journey to g out, sharg that she was once a two-year relatnship wh a man.

ROSIE O'DONNELL: BEG A GAY MOM

"But I, like you, Ey, was surprised that people thought I was not gay.

"She ntued: "I went to a edy club and I was dog stand-up, and I'm like, 'I'm gay. "Part of the reason why I've never said that I was gay until now was bee I didn't want that adjective assigned to my name for all of eterny, " she told the outlet.

"You know, gay Rosie O'Donnell. Durg the discsn, O’Donnell says that she played her character, third basewoman Doris Murphy, as gay — even if wasn’t directly addrsed Penny Marshall’s 1992 movie. “There were gay women or athletic women or women like her, and my character, I thought, was love wh Mae and didn’t maybe know how to exprs .

ROSIE O'DONNELL SAYS HER 'NOW AND THEN' CHARACTER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GAY BUT STUD NIXED IT

“When I did that scene, Penny said, ‘Rosie, don’t do so gay.

’ ‘Well, do aga, but don’t thk of so gay.

“I wasn’t ever lyg to a gay reporter, ” Rosie said, lookg back on that day. “I know he’s gay.

ROSIE O'DONNELL DCRIB PUBLICLY COMG OUT AS A GAY WOMAN ON TV

He knows I’m gay. “Listen, this was not done out of homophobia, ” Rosie said.

MEET ROSIE O'DONNELL'S BROTHER DANIEL WHO WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY

“Beg gay was never the harst part of my life, ” Rosie said. At the end of their talk, she gave Rowlg a home puter (a Mac sktop) bee Rosie felt bad that the future billnaire wrote her novels if Rosie didn’t say the word gay out loud, The Rosie O’Donnell Show had s host’s inty proudly on display. “I remember sayg to John McDaniel, ‘My God, if anybody knew how gay this show was, ’” Gold said.

“I mean, was the gayt show ever! In March, as her days on daytime were dwdlg, Rosie me out of the closet to prott a law Florida that banned adoptn by gay upl. ” Barbara, never one to tolerate losg a sop, revealed on The View on Febary 14 that she’d always known Rosie was gay and that she supported Rosie.

‘NOW AND THEN’: ROSIE O’DONNELL PORTRAYED ROBERTA MART AS A LBIAN EVEN THOUGH PRODUCTN ‘REMOVED A LOT OF THE GAY STUFF’

For years there had been speculatn as to whether legendary sger Whney Hoton was gay, straight, or bisexual. Earlier this week openly gay edian Rosie O’Donnell spoke out about the late pop star Whney Hoton’s stggle wh her sexualy….

“Whney was troubled by, I thk, the gay part of her life and didn’t want exposed. It’s hard black culture to accept gayns. The relatnship eventually end bee of homophobic prsure.

ROSIE O'DONNELL TOLD NBC EXECS SHE WAS GAY AHEAD OF DAYTIME TALK SHOW: 'I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FD THIS OUT AS A SURPRISE'

” I never my life had been persecuted agast for beg a gay person, although I do unrstand that gay people go through that on a nstant and daily basis.

ROSIE O’DONNELL GETS SERTHE DTRY VET ON BRGG QUEERNS TO A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, BEHD-THE-SCEN CHAOS, AND STARRG A NEW TAKE ON AMERIN GIGOLO.BY TARA ARIANOSEPTEMBER 6, 2022GEENA DAVIS, MADONNA, AND ROSIE O'DONNELL A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, 1992.BY COLUMBIA PICTUR/COURTY EVERETT COLLECTN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVETHIRTY YEARS AGO THIS SUMMER, ROSIE O’DONNELL KICKED OFF HER FILM REER AT THIRD BASE, BOTH LERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY. SHE STARS PENNY MARSHALL’S A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN AS DORIS MURPHY, WHO LEAV STATEN ISLAND TO PLAY FOR THE ROCKFORD PEACH THE NEWLY CREATED ALL-AMERIN GIRLS PROFSNAL BASEBALL LEAGUE. THE FILM’S ENSEMBLE IS HEADLED BY GEENA DAVIS AND TOM HANKS, WH DORIS AND HER TEAMMATE AND BT IEND OM BACK HOME—“ALL THE WAY” MAE, PLAYED BY MADONNA—MOSTLY SERVG AS IC RELIEF.THE NEXT SUMMER, O’DONNELL RETEAMED WH HANKS FOR NORA EPHRON’S SLEEPLS SEATTLE, ANOTHER STANT CLASSIC. MORE FILM ROL FOLLOWED; THEN A LONG-NNG NAMAKE DAYTIME SHOW; THEN A UPLE OF STTS ON THE PANEL AT THE VIEW. MORE RECENTLY, THE WOMAN WHO PART STARTED OUT AS A STAND-UP HAS BEEN PLAYG MORE EMOTNALLY CHALLENGG ROL: SOCIAL WORKERS THE FOSTERS AND I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TE; AN ALHOLIC LAWYER REVERY WHO BREAKS HER SOBRIETY THE L WORD: GENERATN Q; A STGGLG BOSTON GRANDMOTHER SMILF. EVEN HER GUT APPEARANCE AS A BAR OWNER PRIME VIO’S NEW SERI REMAKE OF A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN IS—NO SPOILERS—CENTRAL TO ONE OF THE SEASON’S DARKT MOMENTS.LEAGUE ISN’T O’DONNELL’S ONLY FILM-TO-TV PROJECT THIS YEAR. SHE PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE AMERIN GIGOLO, SHOWTIME’S SERI ADAPTATN OF PL SCHRAR’S ACCLAIMED 1980 FILM. THE SHOW, OUT SEPTEMBER 9, STARS JON BERNTHAL AS JULIAN, THE TULAR SEX WORKER; AS THE FILM, JULIAN IS FALSELY ACCED OF MURRG ONE OF HIS CLIENTS, AND PURSUED BY DETECTIVE SUNDAY OF THE LAPD. BUT WHEREAS THE FILM STARS HéCTOR ELIZONDO AS JOE SUNDAY, THE SERI REIMAG THE CHARACTER AS JOAN SUNDAY (O’DONNELL), WHO NVC JULIAN TO NFS TO THE MURR. WHEN A H MAN’S ATHBED NFSN EXONERAT JULIAN AFTER 15 YEARS BEHD BARS, HE TRI TO REBUILD A LIFE, WHILE A GUILT-RIDN JOAN TRI TO TRACK DOWN THE PEOPLE RPONSIBLE FOR AMG JULIAN.VANY FAIR RECENTLY SPOKE WH O’DONNELL ABOUT PLAYG A CHARACTER ORIGALLY NCEIVED AS A MAN, BRGG QUEERNS TO A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AND FDG HER NEXT VELOPMENT PROJECT ON TIKTOK.VANY FAIR: WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE ROLE OF DETECTIVE SUNDAY THIS VERSN OF AMERIN GIGOLO?ROSIE O’DONNELL: WELL, WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I WAS OFFERED A ROLE WHOUT HAVG TO READ OR DN. THEY JT SAID, “ARE YOU AVAILABLE? THEY WANT YOU FOR THIS PART.” IT WAS ORIGALLY WRTEN FOR A MAN, SO MY AGENT SAID, “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO CHANGE ANYTHG, THEY JT WANT YOU TO DO THAT.” THE FACT THAT WAS DAVID HOLLANR AT THE BEGNG, WHO HAD DONE RAY DONOVAN, WHICH IS SUCH A WONRFUL STUDY CHARACTERS AND SUCH AN EMOTNALLY GRIPPG SERI, MEANT THAT I WAS VERY HAPPY TO WORK WH HIM. I THOUGHT WOULD BE A WONRFUL THG FOR ME MY REER TO BE ABLE TO WORK WH SOMEONE WHO WAS SUCH A GENI AT WHAT HE DO. THEN HE GOT LET GO, WHICH WAS WEIRD. THE REASON A LOT OF DID THE SHOW WAS REALLY TO WORK WH HIM.SCE YOU BROUGHT UP DAVID HOLLANR’S PARTURE: SOMETHG SIAR HAPPENED ON SMILF. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS LIKE, AND HOW THE PRODUCTN CHANGED AFTER HE WAS NOT VOLVED ANYMORE?WH SMILF DIDN’T HAPPEN THAT WAY, BEE THE SHOW WAS ALREADY OVER BEFORE ANY PLATS [WERE] LODGED. WE HAD DONE TWO SEASONS AND WERE WAG ON DOG THE THIRD. THERE WERE PLANS TO GO TO IRELAND, AND THEN ALL KD OF EXPLOD— A KD OF CRAZY “ME TOO” SORT OF WAY, BUT NOT ACTUALLY. IT WAS VERY PLITED. I DON’T KNOW. BOTH TIM I REALLY ADMIRED THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS WORKG WH WHO WERE ACCED OF THGS. [SMILF CREATOR AND STAR] FRANKIE SHAW, I BELIEVE, IS A GENI, AND IS VERY KD, AND I KNOW HER MY REAL LIFE AND I WAS THERE. ALTHOUGH EVERY SHOOT IS CHAOTIC, BEE YOU’RE FIGHTG AGAST THE CLOCK, WAS A WELL-N SHOW, AND I THK THAT THE END PRODUCT REALLY TELLS YOU THAT.BUT I DON’T KNOW. THAT WENT AWAY AND WAS VERY VASTATG TO ME. I REALLY LOVED THAT ROLE. I THK THE REASON THAT I’VE BEEN GETTG ALL THE OTHER ROL RECENTLY IS BEE OF SMILF. THEN THIS HAPPENED SORT OF OUT OF THE BLUE. WE WERE TOLD ONE DAY THAT DAVID WAS LET GO, AND THEY DIDN’T REALLY EXPLA WHY. WE JT [HAD] A NEW TEAM E , AND WE HAD A UPLE WEEKS OFF WHILE THEY TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND FISHED .MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISBUT ’S ALWAYS UNNERVG WHEN THE PEOPLE CHARGE ARE NO LONGER CHARGE AND YOU HAVE NEW PEOPLE THE MIDDLE OF DOG SOMETHG. IT’S UNNERVG, BUT I THK THEY REALLY DID PULL TOGETHER AND MAKE A SHOW THAT I THK EVERYBODY WILL ENJOY.IT MT HAVE BEEN PECIALLY HARD FOR YOU GIVEN THAT, AS YOU SAID, WAS YOUR FIRST OFFER-ONLY ROLE. WAS STRANGE TO ADAPT TO THE NEW PEOPLE THAT ME ?Y, WAS VERY HARD. EVERYBODY WAS NFED; NOBODY REALLY UNRSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENG. THERE WERE LOTS OF MORS ON THE SET. I REACHED OUT TO DAVID JT TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS OKAY, AND TO TELL HIM THAT IF HE EVER WANTED TO TALK OR GO HAVE A FFEE, JT TO LET ME KNOW. WE’VE DONE THAT A UPLE TIM.I REALLY ADMIRE HIS ABILY TO PUT TOGETHER BETIFULLY EPLY EMOTNAL CHARACTERS, AND I THK A LOT OF ON THE SET WERE EXCED TO WORK WH HIM, SO WAS A VERY BIG SHIFT DIRECTN AND ENERGY. IN THE MIDDLE OF A SERI WHEN YOU’RE ALREADY EXHSTED AND KD OF WORN OUT, THE HOUR-LONG DRAMA IS A LONG, HARD SCHLE. IT’S LIKE BEG A MOVIE FOR SIX MONTHS.LET’S GET BACK TO YOUR CHARACTER. FUNDAMENTAL TO SUNDAY IS THAT SHE HELPED RCERATE AN NOCENT PERSON, JULIAN. HER NEED TO FIX THAT IS DRIVG HER CHARACTER GOG FORWARD.SHE’S REALLY GUILT-RIDN ABOUT HER MENTAL STATE WHEN SHE FORCED HIM TO NFS, AND THAT’S WHAT DRIV HER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO SET HIM UP AND WHO’S OUT TO GET HIM. I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY A WONRFUL NOTE TO PLAY, THIS ONE MOMENT WHERE SHE KD OF TRAD HER ETHICS FOR HER EMOTNAL TTH.SHE WAS BREAKG UP WH HER SPOE, AND THEY WERE FIGHTG, AND HER PARTNER WAS MOVG OUT OF THE HOE. ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS SH THROUGH THE TERVIEW WH JULIAN AND GET HOME AND GET DONE, AND SHE REALIZ THAT SHE WAS RPONSIBLE FOR JULIAN BEG RCERATED, LOSG 15 YEARS OF HIS LIFE, WHEN HE WASN’T THE MURRER.BEE HE’S EXONERATED, JULIAN’S ON HIS OWN AS A EE PERSON WHOUT A PAROLE OFFICER TO REPORT TO OR GUI HIM. BUT THE EVENTS OF THE SERI SORT OF FORCE YOUR CHARACTER, JOAN, TO THAT KD OF RELATNSHIP WH HIM. YOU’VE PLAYED A LOT OF CHARACTERS RG PROFSNS, SO WHAT DID YOU THK ABOUT THIS P SORT OF FALLG TO THAT TEGORY AS WELL?WELL, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I’VE PLAYED AN AGGRSIVE, PRSED, 60-SOMETHG-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO HAS THIS ONE THG CLAWG AT HER MD THAT SHE N’T GET RID OF. I THK THAT IS WHAT REALLY DO MOTIVATE HER, HER GUILT AND HER WORRYG. THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS WRTEN FOR A GUY, AND THAT THEY JT WANTED TO ST ME AND NOT CHANGE ANYTHG. IT’S NOT LIKE THEY SAID, “OH, WE HAVE ROSIE O’DONNELL, LET’S REWRE THIS.” NO, I JT DID MY WAY.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISI THK WAS REALLY SMART OF DAVID AND THE STG PEOPLE TO HAVE A WOMAN THAT ROLE, BEE THE CHARACTER OF JULIAN HAS A LOT OF DYSFUNCTN WH THE WOMEN HIS LIFE. NO ONE EVER THOUGHT, WHEN WATCHG AMERIN GIGOLO, WHAT MA HIM BEE A GIGOLO? THE SHOW ALS WH THE GROOMG AND THE SEXUAL TRAFFICKG OF YOUNG BOYS, WHICH YOU DON’T SEE TALKED ABOUT TOO MUCH.AMERIN GIGOLO’S YOUR SEND SERI ADAPTATN OF A CLASSIC FILM THIS YEAR: YOU ALSO HAVE A GUT ROLE PRIME VIO’S A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. YOU’VE SAID THAT THE ORIGAL FILM, DORIS WAS QUEER YOUR MD, WHETHER PENNY MARSHALL LET YOU N WH THAT OR NOT. HOW DID FEEL SHOWG UP ON THIS LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SET, WHICH IS SO UNABASHEDLY QUEER?WELL, FIRST OF ALL, TO WALK AT 60 YEARS OLD AND SEE MY LIFE 30 YEARS AGO, ALL THE WOMEN OUR OUTFS AND ALL THE MTS— WAS JT SUCH A FLASHBACK. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I LOVED DOG . I LOVED WATCHG THE WOMEN AT THE BEGNG OF THEIR REERS. I REALLY THK THAT THE GAY PART WAS SO BETIFULLY TOLD. IT WAS WONRFUL TO SEE .WHEN WE DID THE MOVIE, THERE WAS THAT ONE SCENE [WHERE] I’M ON THE B: “I NEVER FELT LIKE A REAL GIRL OR EVEN A GIRL, BUT NOW I SEE THERE’S A LOT OF , WE’RE ALL OKAY.” TO ME, THAT WAS HER SAYG SHE FOUND HER TRIBE, RIGHT? THERE WERE GAY WOMEN OR ATHLETIC WOMEN OR WOMEN LIKE HER, AND MY CHARACTER, I THOUGHT, WAS LOVE WH MAE AND DIDN’T MAYBE KNOW HOW TO EXPRS . BUT WAS 1991 WHEN WE SHOT , OR 1990, AND THE TIM WERE DIFFERENT. YOU DON’T REALIZE UNTIL YOU’RE SORT OF FACED WH THE NEW SHOW WHAT ULD HAVE BEEN.I’M SO TOUCHED BY THE FACT THAT [CREATOR AND STAR] ABBI JABSON WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS FIGURG OUT HER SEXUALY WATCHG THAT MOVIE, AND FEELG LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHG MISSG. [SHOOTG THE FILM,] WHEN WE MET THE REAL PLAYERS, WHO WERE THEIR 70S—80S, SOME OF THEM—THEY WOULD SAY, “OH, THIS IS MY ROOMMATE, BETSY.” I’M LIKE, “OH, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ROOMMAT?” “OH, 27 YEARS.”SO WAS FELY A PART THAT WAS LEFT OUT. WHEN I DID THAT SCENE, PENNY SAID, [O’DONNELL PUTS ON A PENNY MARSHALL VOICE] “ROSIE, DON’T DO SO GAY.” I WAS LIKE, “WELL, I’M JT DOG THE WORDS AS THEY’RE WRTEN.” “WELL, DO AGA, BUT DON’T THK OF SO GAY.” “OKAY, PEN.” BUT I DID THE SAME WAY EACH TIME, BEE THAT WAS THE WAY WAS REAL TO ME.1991 OR ’90, WHEN WE WERE SHOOTG, THERE WAS NO WILL & GRACE, THERE WAS NO ELLEN BEG OUT. I DON’T THK ANYONE THOUGHT, OH, WELL, THEY’RE REALLY LEAVG OUT THE GAY STUFF. BROKEBACK MOUNTA HADN’T HAPPENED YET. THERE WERE LOTS OF CULTURAL EVENTS FOR THE GAY MUNY THAT WE HADN’T YET LIVED, AND SO JT TOUCH ME TO SEE WHAT ABBI HAS DONE AND HOW SHE RPORATED THE REALY OF THE BLACK WOMEN THE LEAGUE AND THE GAY WOMEN THE LEAGUE AND KD OF OPENED UP TO A 2022 WORLDVIEW.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISI’M 60, SO WHEN LOVE, SIDNEY ME OUT, I WAS A TEEN OR SOMETHG. I REMEMBER THEM TALKG ABOUT CHURCH. TONY RANDALL PLAYG A GAY MAN WHOSE PARTNER HAD DIED, AND THE ONLY REFERENCE YOU SAW TO WAS A BIG PHOTO OF HIM, THE MAN WHO DIED, ON THE FIREPLACE. AT THE END OF ONE EPISO, HE WENT AND LOOKED UP LOVGLY TO THAT PICTURE AND THE SHOW WAS [PRACTILLY] NCELED THE NEXT DAY.I MEAN, I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE OUT CHARACTERS: SOAP, THERE WAS A GAY CHARACTER, AND A LBIAN WOMAN, BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK LONG AND HARD TO FD WHERE GAY PRENCE WAS THE ’90S. IT WAS KD OF NOWHERE. IT WAS THE SAME WH ME AND MY [TALK] SHOW, THAT NO ONE EVER ASKED ME. IT WASN’T LIKE PEOPLE WERE GOG, “BOY, IS ROSIE GAY? I’M GOG TO BRG THIS UP.” IT WASN’T DISCSED. I WOULD DO TERVIEWS LIKE THIS WH VANY FAIR AND ALL OF THE MAGAZ WHEN I WAS DOG THE SHOW, AND WASN’T A TOPIC THAT PEOPLE SKIRTED.NOW, THERE WAS ONE TERVIEW THAT I DID WH A GUY NAMED, I THK, PATRICK PACHE, AND WAS FOR COSMO AND HE ASKED ME, “ARE YOU SGLE AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKG FOR?” I SAID, “EVERYONE N APPLY, TST ME. IF YOU’RE A HUMAN AND YOU GOT A HEARTBEAT, YOU N APPLY.” LOIS SMH, WHO WAS THEN MY PUBLICIST—THIS LEGENDARY PUBLICIST OF MARILYN MONROE’S, SHE FORMED PMK TOGETHER WH PAT KGSLEY—SHE LLED HELEN GURLEY BROWN HERSELF AND ASKED HER TO TAKE THAT OUT, AND HELEN GURLEY BROWN DID, RIGHT? SO EVEN IF A REPORTER HAD THE MOXIE TO TRY TO TALK ABOUT THAT, WAS SHUT DOWN AT OTHER LEVELS.SO, WAS A DIFFERENT TIME. I THK THE CULTURE HAS BEEN READY FOR THIS. I MEAN, I N’T GO ON MY TIKTOK WHOUT SEEG EVERY OTHER TIKTOK ABOUT LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. IT’S REALLY H PEOPLE. I MEAN, MY AMOUNT OF BEG REGNIZED PUBLIC HAS DRASTILLY CHANGED THE LAST WEEK OR TWO. I’M WALKG THROUGH MALIBU, A LTLE SHOPPG CENTER, “HEY, ROSIE. LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.” “Y, 30 YEARS AGO, THAT WAS ME.” IT SEEMS WILD THAT I’M GETTG KNOWN AGA FOR THE FIRST ROLE I PLAYED MY ENTERTAMENT REER.YOU’VE SPOKEN ABOUT GETTG MORE ACTG WORK YOUR 60S, BUT ALSO SEEMS LIKE YOU’RE ALG WH TOUGHER MATERIAL MOST OF THE TIME. ARE THERE EDIC ROL YOU’RE LOOKG AT FOR THE FUTURE, OR ARE THOSE NO LONGER A CHALLENGE THAT YOU LOOK FOR?I’M LOOKG FOR GOOD STUFF. I MEAN, I’M LOOKG FOR ANYTHG. I WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED TO DOG A TRADNAL S OR A S LIKE RICKY GERVAIS’S AFTER LIFE, OR BETTER THGS—KD OF A REALISTIC DRAMEDY. I’M OPEN FOR WHATEVER .I’M SO GRATEFUL THAT I’M GETTG ALL THE ROL, BUT I REALLY DID THK WHEN I WAS A YOUNGER ACTRS, BOY, WHEN I H MY 60S AND I’M OLR WH GRAY HAIR, I’M GOG TO HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ROL THAT GERALDE PAGE GOT HER OLD AGE. BEE THERE AREN’T A LOT OF WOMEN WHO HAVEN’T HAD SURGERY WHO LOOK KD OF REAL. YOU FD SOME 60-YEAR-OLD ACTRS HAVE SO MUCH WORK DONE THAT THEY DON’T EVEN LOOK LIKE REAL PEOPLE WHEN YOU SEE THEM A MOVIE, RIGHT? SO I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE A BENEF AND THAT I WOULD WORK A LOT, AND ’S BEEN G TE THE LAST UPLE YEARS.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISAFTER LIFE AND BETTER THGS ARE BOTH SHOWS THAT THEIR STARS CREATED. IS THAT SOMETHG YOU WOULD NSIR, MAKG A VEHICLE FOR YOURSELF?YEAH, I’VE BEEN THKG ABOUT THAT AND WORKG WH SOME IENDS. BUT I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE LIFE RIGHTS TO A WOMAN I SAW ON TIKTOK…SHE WAS CHARGED WH EMBEZZLEMENT OVER $200,000 WHEN SHE WAS HER 20S AND SHE HAD FIVE CHILDREN. SHE THOUGHT, BEE WAS HER FIRST OFFENSE AND THE LAWYER WAS NOT REALLY UP TO PAR, THAT SHE WAS GOG TO GET PROBATN, AND SHE END UP GETTG 20 YEARS.WELL, SHE'S JT FISHED SERVG 10 YEARS, AND NOW SHE’S LIVG HER LIFE ON THE OUTSI AND DOG THE TIKTOKS ABOUT WHAT WAS LIKE PRISON. IT WAS NOT LIKE ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK. IT WAS 140 GRE THE SUMMER AND THEY WOULD SPRAY THEIR FLOOR WH WATER ORR TO NOT HAVE A SEIZURE BEE WAS SO FUCKG HOT.OUT OF THE BLUE I SENT HER A DM AND TOLD HER, “I'D LIKE TO BUY YOUR LIFE RIGHTS FOR TWO YEARS AND TAKE THIS TIME TO REALLY WORK ON MAKG A SHOW.”… SHE’S NOW ONLY 30-SOMETHG. THE SHOW WOULD BE ABOUT WHAT HER LIFE IS LIKE ON THE OUTSI AND WHAT WAS BACK PRISON AND HOW SHE’S TRYG TO RENNECT AND GET THE LOST TIME BACK WH HER CHILDREN AND HER MOTHER AND FATHER.SO, I’M GOG TO BE ACTIVELY WORKG ON THAT NEXT, AND TRY TO VELOP THAT FOR ANOTHER ACTRS TO DO, BUT I HAVEN’T REALLY THOUGHT OF WHAT I WOULD LOVE FOR ME. I ALWAYS THK I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY A NURSE, BEE I LOVE NURS. THEY N THE HOSPAL; THEY KEEP THE SPIR OF THE PATIENTS ALIVE. ANY TIME I’VE BEEN THE HOSPAL, WH MY HEART ATTACK OR MY STAPH FECTN, ’S BEEN THE NURS THAT LOVE PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE. SO PART OF ME WOULD LOVE TO DO SOMETHG ABOUT NURS, BUT I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE ACTORS STRIKE IS ON, THROWG HOLLYWOOD INTO TURMOILWHY A SEND TMP ADMISTRATN WOULD BE MUCH WORSEIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERIS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?THE BIGGT SNUBS AND SURPRIS OF THIS YEAR’S EMMY NOMATNSWHERE TO WATCH THE 2023 EMMY NOMEFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)TARA ARIANO

“When I was not allowed to adopt a foster child I had raised my home for 16 months, a child who had been the system sce she was a baby, who had been 20 other hom and had never been able to stay, when the state of Florida said to me, ‘You are unworthy bee you’re gay, ’ I said is time for me to stand up and say this law is wrong. March 14, 2002 -- Rosie O'Donnell don't re whether the world knows that she's gay. But she do want everyone to know that she is a gay mother.

"I don't thk Ameri knows what a gay parent looks like: I am the gay parent, " the entertaer tells ABCNEWS' Diane Sawyer her first -pth terview about her sexualy. She talked about her experienc as a gay parent publicly for the first time wh Sawyer, hopg to brg attentn to the issue of gay adoptn and a Florida law that prevents gay upl om adoptg. ‘I Totally Thk I’m Gay’There's no earth-shatterg g-out story, O'Donnell says, jt a realizatn that dawned on her a private moment.

ROSIE O'DONNELL GETS CANDID AS SHE RELLS COMG OUT AS GAY ON TV AFTER 9/11

"I was alone and I was like, 'I totally thk I'm gay. "Part of the reason why I've never said that I was gay until now was bee I didn't want that adjective assigned to my name for all of eterny. You know, gay Rosie O'Donnell.

"O'Donnell, who lost her mother when she was 10 and scrib her father as "not very available, " says beg gay was not that big of an obstacle her generally difficult, she believ that beg gay is credibly challengg.

ROSIE O'DONNELL SAYS OPRAH WEY IS NOT GAY

"I don't thk you choose whether or not you're gay, " she says. And when she learned about a Florida gay parentg se, she found that reason and has ma her Lofton and Roger Crote are raisg five HIV-posive children, three of whom are foster kids.

Lofton and Crote would like to adopt Bert, but unr Florida law they n't, bee they are O'Donnell read about the Lofton-Crote se, she thought about her adopted son Parker: "My Lord, if somebody me to me now and said … 'We're gog to take him now bee you're gay, ' my world would llapse.

"The Right to ParentO'Donnell says her own experienc as a mother make her certa that gay people should have the right to be parents. "Beg gay, she says, do not make someone a bad parent. Any while the children of gay parents may face some ridicule om their peers, O'Donnell thks they n get past that.

ROSIE O'DONNELL REVEALS COSMOPOLAN STOPPED HER FROM COMG OUT AS GAY IN 1992 ARTICLE

… I'm not askg that people accept homosexualy. "O'Donnell dismiss claims that children adopted by gay parents are more likely to be gay.

That if they're gay, they know they're gay and they live a happy life.

But if I were to pick, would I rather have my children have to go through the stggl of beg gay Ameri, or beg heterosexual?

MEET ROSIE O'DONNELL'S BROTHER DANIEL WHO WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY

"After emphasizg how much easier is to be straight than gay, she says she wouldn't change her own sexualy. "My character was gay. My character was gay.

ROSIE O'DONNELL GETS CANDID AS SHE RELLS COMG OUT AS GAY ON TV AFTER 9/11

And when they showed the film, the producer said, 'Let's take out that she's gay.

' And they took every ltle, ty thg that I had done to build the character to an accurate gay woman and ma her straight. And was very ntroversial to be gay and — my agent didn't know if I should take the job bee 'What if people fd out that you're gay? She add, "And when they showed the film, the producer said, 'Let's take out that she's gay.

"And was very ntroversial to be gay, and — my agent didn't know if I should take the job bee 'What if people fd out that you're gay? "I don't know why people make such a big al about the gay thg, " she clared onstage at Carol edy club New York Cy on Feb.

ROSIE O'DONNELL SAYS OPRAH WEY IS NOT GAY

I’m tellg you all, I’m gay, se the buildgs blow up aga, I’m so, so gay'” ma sure her fans knew she was gay and that she was gog to live her tth after years of not beg vol about her on The View, there were mors that O’Donnell and former -host, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, were more than iends. (She lnched her own gay fay cise le, for heaven’s sake.

It was all different kds of gay people.

CAGNEY & LACEY'S SHARON GLS WONRED IF SHE WAS GAY AFTER ON-SCREEN KISS WH ROSIE O'DONNELL

Then the episo aired, Time ran s “Yep, I’m Gay” ver and everybody was askg me, “What do you thk about Ellen? Let’s talk about the gay fay cise le you started. After three years, we tried to adopt her, and there was a law [overturned 2010] that prevented gay people om adoptg even the foster children they raised.

There were so many gay people wantg to be parents.

And spired me to do the gay cis.

ROSIE O'DONNELL REVEALS COSMOPOLAN STOPPED HER FROM COMG OUT AS GAY IN 1992 ARTICLE

“Whney was troubled by, I thk, the gay part of her life and didn’t want exposed, ” O’Donnell said of the late mic in’s mored same-sex orientatn. “It’s hard black culture to accept gayns. It’s culturally more difficult, I thk, ” the openly gay actrs said of Hoton — who died a dg-related accintal drowng at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Febary 2012.

‘NOW AND THEN’: ROSIE O’DONNELL PORTRAYED ROBERTA MART AS A LBIAN EVEN THOUGH PRODUCTN ‘REMOVED A LOT OF THE GAY STUFF’

“And the church … the Baptist Church weighed heavily on her, ” O’Donnell add, notg the rigid dichotomy between relign and homosexualy. Source: Getty Imag / a childhood dream of beg a polician to beg stmental New York’s legalizatn of gay marriage, Daniel O’Donnell is passnate about promotg “progrsive reforms to benef all New Yorkers.

As the edian, Rosie O’Donnell’s olr gay brother, his tenac efforts to pass more equal legislatn ma him a force to be reckoned York Assembly member Daniel J. O'Donnell attends the 2010 New York Cy Gay Pri March on the streets of Manhattan on June 27, 2010, New York Cy.

| Source: Getty beme the first openly gay man the Assembly when he got elected 2002, but sce the number had grown to clu four openly gay people January 29, 2012, Daniel tied the knot wh his long-time partner, John Banta, director of special events for Metropolan Opera.

ROSIE O'DONNELL TOLD NBC EXECS SHE WAS GAY AHEAD OF DAYTIME TALK SHOW: 'I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FD THIS OUT AS A SURPRISE'

It wasn’t that long ago that gettg to play a gay character was a rary, but now that such portrayals are gag mastream acceptance, there are many more pth-filled and meangful on-screen reprentatns. Rosie O’Donnell, who has been openly out as a lbian sce 2002, is reflectg back on prr rol and how she often tried to brg nuance to the projects she worked on by portrayg her characters as gay — even if most of didn’t make past the edg room. It was only months after the 9/11 attacks the cy, and O’Donnell rells feelg like was important to make sure her inty as a gay person was known the wake of such a tragic cint: “I went to a edy club and I was dog stand-up and I’m like, ‘I’m gay.

I’m tellg you all, I’m gay. In se the buildgs blow up aga, I’m so, so gay, ’ you know? Rosie O’Donnell rells playg characters as gay spe phback.

ROSIE O’DONNELL THKS WHNEY HOTON WAS ‘TROUBLED BY THE GAY PART OF HER LIFE’

O’Donnell believ that her character, Doris, was gay. She rells Penny Marshall — the director for the film — tellg her to do aga bee “’s not a gay thg. Though her character was not explicly shown to be gay the film, O’Donnell still believ that was a part of her inty.

ROSIE O’DONNELL GETS SERTHE DTRY VET ON BRGG QUEERNS TO A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, BEHD-THE-SCEN CHAOS, AND STARRG A NEW TAKE ON AMERIN GIGOLO.BY TARA ARIANOSEPTEMBER 6, 2022GEENA DAVIS, MADONNA, AND ROSIE O'DONNELL A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, 1992.BY COLUMBIA PICTUR/COURTY EVERETT COLLECTN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVETHIRTY YEARS AGO THIS SUMMER, ROSIE O’DONNELL KICKED OFF HER FILM REER AT THIRD BASE, BOTH LERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY. SHE STARS PENNY MARSHALL’S A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN AS DORIS MURPHY, WHO LEAV STATEN ISLAND TO PLAY FOR THE ROCKFORD PEACH THE NEWLY CREATED ALL-AMERIN GIRLS PROFSNAL BASEBALL LEAGUE. THE FILM’S ENSEMBLE IS HEADLED BY GEENA DAVIS AND TOM HANKS, WH DORIS AND HER TEAMMATE AND BT IEND OM BACK HOME—“ALL THE WAY” MAE, PLAYED BY MADONNA—MOSTLY SERVG AS IC RELIEF.THE NEXT SUMMER, O’DONNELL RETEAMED WH HANKS FOR NORA EPHRON’S SLEEPLS SEATTLE, ANOTHER STANT CLASSIC. MORE FILM ROL FOLLOWED; THEN A LONG-NNG NAMAKE DAYTIME SHOW; THEN A UPLE OF STTS ON THE PANEL AT THE VIEW. MORE RECENTLY, THE WOMAN WHO PART STARTED OUT AS A STAND-UP HAS BEEN PLAYG MORE EMOTNALLY CHALLENGG ROL: SOCIAL WORKERS THE FOSTERS AND I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TE; AN ALHOLIC LAWYER REVERY WHO BREAKS HER SOBRIETY THE L WORD: GENERATN Q; A STGGLG BOSTON GRANDMOTHER SMILF. EVEN HER GUT APPEARANCE AS A BAR OWNER PRIME VIO’S NEW SERI REMAKE OF A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN IS—NO SPOILERS—CENTRAL TO ONE OF THE SEASON’S DARKT MOMENTS.LEAGUE ISN’T O’DONNELL’S ONLY FILM-TO-TV PROJECT THIS YEAR. SHE PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE AMERIN GIGOLO, SHOWTIME’S SERI ADAPTATN OF PL SCHRAR’S ACCLAIMED 1980 FILM. THE SHOW, OUT SEPTEMBER 9, STARS JON BERNTHAL AS JULIAN, THE TULAR SEX WORKER; AS THE FILM, JULIAN IS FALSELY ACCED OF MURRG ONE OF HIS CLIENTS, AND PURSUED BY DETECTIVE SUNDAY OF THE LAPD. BUT WHEREAS THE FILM STARS HéCTOR ELIZONDO AS JOE SUNDAY, THE SERI REIMAG THE CHARACTER AS JOAN SUNDAY (O’DONNELL), WHO NVC JULIAN TO NFS TO THE MURR. WHEN A H MAN’S ATHBED NFSN EXONERAT JULIAN AFTER 15 YEARS BEHD BARS, HE TRI TO REBUILD A LIFE, WHILE A GUILT-RIDN JOAN TRI TO TRACK DOWN THE PEOPLE RPONSIBLE FOR AMG JULIAN.VANY FAIR RECENTLY SPOKE WH O’DONNELL ABOUT PLAYG A CHARACTER ORIGALLY NCEIVED AS A MAN, BRGG QUEERNS TO A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AND FDG HER NEXT VELOPMENT PROJECT ON TIKTOK.VANY FAIR: WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE ROLE OF DETECTIVE SUNDAY THIS VERSN OF AMERIN GIGOLO?ROSIE O’DONNELL: WELL, WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I WAS OFFERED A ROLE WHOUT HAVG TO READ OR DN. THEY JT SAID, “ARE YOU AVAILABLE? THEY WANT YOU FOR THIS PART.” IT WAS ORIGALLY WRTEN FOR A MAN, SO MY AGENT SAID, “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO CHANGE ANYTHG, THEY JT WANT YOU TO DO THAT.” THE FACT THAT WAS DAVID HOLLANR AT THE BEGNG, WHO HAD DONE RAY DONOVAN, WHICH IS SUCH A WONRFUL STUDY CHARACTERS AND SUCH AN EMOTNALLY GRIPPG SERI, MEANT THAT I WAS VERY HAPPY TO WORK WH HIM. I THOUGHT WOULD BE A WONRFUL THG FOR ME MY REER TO BE ABLE TO WORK WH SOMEONE WHO WAS SUCH A GENI AT WHAT HE DO. THEN HE GOT LET GO, WHICH WAS WEIRD. THE REASON A LOT OF DID THE SHOW WAS REALLY TO WORK WH HIM.SCE YOU BROUGHT UP DAVID HOLLANR’S PARTURE: SOMETHG SIAR HAPPENED ON SMILF. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS LIKE, AND HOW THE PRODUCTN CHANGED AFTER HE WAS NOT VOLVED ANYMORE?WH SMILF DIDN’T HAPPEN THAT WAY, BEE THE SHOW WAS ALREADY OVER BEFORE ANY PLATS [WERE] LODGED. WE HAD DONE TWO SEASONS AND WERE WAG ON DOG THE THIRD. THERE WERE PLANS TO GO TO IRELAND, AND THEN ALL KD OF EXPLOD— A KD OF CRAZY “ME TOO” SORT OF WAY, BUT NOT ACTUALLY. IT WAS VERY PLITED. I DON’T KNOW. BOTH TIM I REALLY ADMIRED THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS WORKG WH WHO WERE ACCED OF THGS. [SMILF CREATOR AND STAR] FRANKIE SHAW, I BELIEVE, IS A GENI, AND IS VERY KD, AND I KNOW HER MY REAL LIFE AND I WAS THERE. ALTHOUGH EVERY SHOOT IS CHAOTIC, BEE YOU’RE FIGHTG AGAST THE CLOCK, WAS A WELL-N SHOW, AND I THK THAT THE END PRODUCT REALLY TELLS YOU THAT.BUT I DON’T KNOW. THAT WENT AWAY AND WAS VERY VASTATG TO ME. I REALLY LOVED THAT ROLE. I THK THE REASON THAT I’VE BEEN GETTG ALL THE OTHER ROL RECENTLY IS BEE OF SMILF. THEN THIS HAPPENED SORT OF OUT OF THE BLUE. WE WERE TOLD ONE DAY THAT DAVID WAS LET GO, AND THEY DIDN’T REALLY EXPLA WHY. WE JT [HAD] A NEW TEAM E , AND WE HAD A UPLE WEEKS OFF WHILE THEY TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND FISHED .MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISBUT ’S ALWAYS UNNERVG WHEN THE PEOPLE CHARGE ARE NO LONGER CHARGE AND YOU HAVE NEW PEOPLE THE MIDDLE OF DOG SOMETHG. IT’S UNNERVG, BUT I THK THEY REALLY DID PULL TOGETHER AND MAKE A SHOW THAT I THK EVERYBODY WILL ENJOY.IT MT HAVE BEEN PECIALLY HARD FOR YOU GIVEN THAT, AS YOU SAID, WAS YOUR FIRST OFFER-ONLY ROLE. WAS STRANGE TO ADAPT TO THE NEW PEOPLE THAT ME ?Y, WAS VERY HARD. EVERYBODY WAS NFED; NOBODY REALLY UNRSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENG. THERE WERE LOTS OF MORS ON THE SET. I REACHED OUT TO DAVID JT TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS OKAY, AND TO TELL HIM THAT IF HE EVER WANTED TO TALK OR GO HAVE A FFEE, JT TO LET ME KNOW. WE’VE DONE THAT A UPLE TIM.I REALLY ADMIRE HIS ABILY TO PUT TOGETHER BETIFULLY EPLY EMOTNAL CHARACTERS, AND I THK A LOT OF ON THE SET WERE EXCED TO WORK WH HIM, SO WAS A VERY BIG SHIFT DIRECTN AND ENERGY. IN THE MIDDLE OF A SERI WHEN YOU’RE ALREADY EXHSTED AND KD OF WORN OUT, THE HOUR-LONG DRAMA IS A LONG, HARD SCHLE. IT’S LIKE BEG A MOVIE FOR SIX MONTHS.LET’S GET BACK TO YOUR CHARACTER. FUNDAMENTAL TO SUNDAY IS THAT SHE HELPED RCERATE AN NOCENT PERSON, JULIAN. HER NEED TO FIX THAT IS DRIVG HER CHARACTER GOG FORWARD.SHE’S REALLY GUILT-RIDN ABOUT HER MENTAL STATE WHEN SHE FORCED HIM TO NFS, AND THAT’S WHAT DRIV HER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO SET HIM UP AND WHO’S OUT TO GET HIM. I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY A WONRFUL NOTE TO PLAY, THIS ONE MOMENT WHERE SHE KD OF TRAD HER ETHICS FOR HER EMOTNAL TTH.SHE WAS BREAKG UP WH HER SPOE, AND THEY WERE FIGHTG, AND HER PARTNER WAS MOVG OUT OF THE HOE. ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS SH THROUGH THE TERVIEW WH JULIAN AND GET HOME AND GET DONE, AND SHE REALIZ THAT SHE WAS RPONSIBLE FOR JULIAN BEG RCERATED, LOSG 15 YEARS OF HIS LIFE, WHEN HE WASN’T THE MURRER.BEE HE’S EXONERATED, JULIAN’S ON HIS OWN AS A EE PERSON WHOUT A PAROLE OFFICER TO REPORT TO OR GUI HIM. BUT THE EVENTS OF THE SERI SORT OF FORCE YOUR CHARACTER, JOAN, TO THAT KD OF RELATNSHIP WH HIM. YOU’VE PLAYED A LOT OF CHARACTERS RG PROFSNS, SO WHAT DID YOU THK ABOUT THIS P SORT OF FALLG TO THAT TEGORY AS WELL?WELL, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I’VE PLAYED AN AGGRSIVE, PRSED, 60-SOMETHG-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO HAS THIS ONE THG CLAWG AT HER MD THAT SHE N’T GET RID OF. I THK THAT IS WHAT REALLY DO MOTIVATE HER, HER GUILT AND HER WORRYG. THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS WRTEN FOR A GUY, AND THAT THEY JT WANTED TO ST ME AND NOT CHANGE ANYTHG. IT’S NOT LIKE THEY SAID, “OH, WE HAVE ROSIE O’DONNELL, LET’S REWRE THIS.” NO, I JT DID MY WAY.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISI THK WAS REALLY SMART OF DAVID AND THE STG PEOPLE TO HAVE A WOMAN THAT ROLE, BEE THE CHARACTER OF JULIAN HAS A LOT OF DYSFUNCTN WH THE WOMEN HIS LIFE. NO ONE EVER THOUGHT, WHEN WATCHG AMERIN GIGOLO, WHAT MA HIM BEE A GIGOLO? THE SHOW ALS WH THE GROOMG AND THE SEXUAL TRAFFICKG OF YOUNG BOYS, WHICH YOU DON’T SEE TALKED ABOUT TOO MUCH.AMERIN GIGOLO’S YOUR SEND SERI ADAPTATN OF A CLASSIC FILM THIS YEAR: YOU ALSO HAVE A GUT ROLE PRIME VIO’S A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. YOU’VE SAID THAT THE ORIGAL FILM, DORIS WAS QUEER YOUR MD, WHETHER PENNY MARSHALL LET YOU N WH THAT OR NOT. HOW DID FEEL SHOWG UP ON THIS LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SET, WHICH IS SO UNABASHEDLY QUEER?WELL, FIRST OF ALL, TO WALK AT 60 YEARS OLD AND SEE MY LIFE 30 YEARS AGO, ALL THE WOMEN OUR OUTFS AND ALL THE MTS— WAS JT SUCH A FLASHBACK. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I LOVED DOG . I LOVED WATCHG THE WOMEN AT THE BEGNG OF THEIR REERS. I REALLY THK THAT THE GAY PART WAS SO BETIFULLY TOLD. IT WAS WONRFUL TO SEE .WHEN WE DID THE MOVIE, THERE WAS THAT ONE SCENE [WHERE] I’M ON THE B: “I NEVER FELT LIKE A REAL GIRL OR EVEN A GIRL, BUT NOW I SEE THERE’S A LOT OF , WE’RE ALL OKAY.” TO ME, THAT WAS HER SAYG SHE FOUND HER TRIBE, RIGHT? THERE WERE GAY WOMEN OR ATHLETIC WOMEN OR WOMEN LIKE HER, AND MY CHARACTER, I THOUGHT, WAS LOVE WH MAE AND DIDN’T MAYBE KNOW HOW TO EXPRS . BUT WAS 1991 WHEN WE SHOT , OR 1990, AND THE TIM WERE DIFFERENT. YOU DON’T REALIZE UNTIL YOU’RE SORT OF FACED WH THE NEW SHOW WHAT ULD HAVE BEEN.I’M SO TOUCHED BY THE FACT THAT [CREATOR AND STAR] ABBI JABSON WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS FIGURG OUT HER SEXUALY WATCHG THAT MOVIE, AND FEELG LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHG MISSG. [SHOOTG THE FILM,] WHEN WE MET THE REAL PLAYERS, WHO WERE THEIR 70S—80S, SOME OF THEM—THEY WOULD SAY, “OH, THIS IS MY ROOMMATE, BETSY.” I’M LIKE, “OH, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ROOMMAT?” “OH, 27 YEARS.”SO WAS FELY A PART THAT WAS LEFT OUT. WHEN I DID THAT SCENE, PENNY SAID, [O’DONNELL PUTS ON A PENNY MARSHALL VOICE] “ROSIE, DON’T DO SO GAY.” I WAS LIKE, “WELL, I’M JT DOG THE WORDS AS THEY’RE WRTEN.” “WELL, DO AGA, BUT DON’T THK OF SO GAY.” “OKAY, PEN.” BUT I DID THE SAME WAY EACH TIME, BEE THAT WAS THE WAY WAS REAL TO ME.1991 OR ’90, WHEN WE WERE SHOOTG, THERE WAS NO WILL & GRACE, THERE WAS NO ELLEN BEG OUT. I DON’T THK ANYONE THOUGHT, OH, WELL, THEY’RE REALLY LEAVG OUT THE GAY STUFF. BROKEBACK MOUNTA HADN’T HAPPENED YET. THERE WERE LOTS OF CULTURAL EVENTS FOR THE GAY MUNY THAT WE HADN’T YET LIVED, AND SO JT TOUCH ME TO SEE WHAT ABBI HAS DONE AND HOW SHE RPORATED THE REALY OF THE BLACK WOMEN THE LEAGUE AND THE GAY WOMEN THE LEAGUE AND KD OF OPENED UP TO A 2022 WORLDVIEW.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISI’M 60, SO WHEN LOVE, SIDNEY ME OUT, I WAS A TEEN OR SOMETHG. I REMEMBER THEM TALKG ABOUT CHURCH. TONY RANDALL PLAYG A GAY MAN WHOSE PARTNER HAD DIED, AND THE ONLY REFERENCE YOU SAW TO WAS A BIG PHOTO OF HIM, THE MAN WHO DIED, ON THE FIREPLACE. AT THE END OF ONE EPISO, HE WENT AND LOOKED UP LOVGLY TO THAT PICTURE AND THE SHOW WAS [PRACTILLY] NCELED THE NEXT DAY.I MEAN, I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE OUT CHARACTERS: SOAP, THERE WAS A GAY CHARACTER, AND A LBIAN WOMAN, BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK LONG AND HARD TO FD WHERE GAY PRENCE WAS THE ’90S. IT WAS KD OF NOWHERE. IT WAS THE SAME WH ME AND MY [TALK] SHOW, THAT NO ONE EVER ASKED ME. IT WASN’T LIKE PEOPLE WERE GOG, “BOY, IS ROSIE GAY? I’M GOG TO BRG THIS UP.” IT WASN’T DISCSED. I WOULD DO TERVIEWS LIKE THIS WH VANY FAIR AND ALL OF THE MAGAZ WHEN I WAS DOG THE SHOW, AND WASN’T A TOPIC THAT PEOPLE SKIRTED.NOW, THERE WAS ONE TERVIEW THAT I DID WH A GUY NAMED, I THK, PATRICK PACHE, AND WAS FOR COSMO AND HE ASKED ME, “ARE YOU SGLE AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKG FOR?” I SAID, “EVERYONE N APPLY, TST ME. IF YOU’RE A HUMAN AND YOU GOT A HEARTBEAT, YOU N APPLY.” LOIS SMH, WHO WAS THEN MY PUBLICIST—THIS LEGENDARY PUBLICIST OF MARILYN MONROE’S, SHE FORMED PMK TOGETHER WH PAT KGSLEY—SHE LLED HELEN GURLEY BROWN HERSELF AND ASKED HER TO TAKE THAT OUT, AND HELEN GURLEY BROWN DID, RIGHT? SO EVEN IF A REPORTER HAD THE MOXIE TO TRY TO TALK ABOUT THAT, WAS SHUT DOWN AT OTHER LEVELS.SO, WAS A DIFFERENT TIME. I THK THE CULTURE HAS BEEN READY FOR THIS. I MEAN, I N’T GO ON MY TIKTOK WHOUT SEEG EVERY OTHER TIKTOK ABOUT LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. IT’S REALLY H PEOPLE. I MEAN, MY AMOUNT OF BEG REGNIZED PUBLIC HAS DRASTILLY CHANGED THE LAST WEEK OR TWO. I’M WALKG THROUGH MALIBU, A LTLE SHOPPG CENTER, “HEY, ROSIE. LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.” “Y, 30 YEARS AGO, THAT WAS ME.” IT SEEMS WILD THAT I’M GETTG KNOWN AGA FOR THE FIRST ROLE I PLAYED MY ENTERTAMENT REER.YOU’VE SPOKEN ABOUT GETTG MORE ACTG WORK YOUR 60S, BUT ALSO SEEMS LIKE YOU’RE ALG WH TOUGHER MATERIAL MOST OF THE TIME. ARE THERE EDIC ROL YOU’RE LOOKG AT FOR THE FUTURE, OR ARE THOSE NO LONGER A CHALLENGE THAT YOU LOOK FOR?I’M LOOKG FOR GOOD STUFF. I MEAN, I’M LOOKG FOR ANYTHG. I WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED TO DOG A TRADNAL S OR A S LIKE RICKY GERVAIS’S AFTER LIFE, OR BETTER THGS—KD OF A REALISTIC DRAMEDY. I’M OPEN FOR WHATEVER .I’M SO GRATEFUL THAT I’M GETTG ALL THE ROL, BUT I REALLY DID THK WHEN I WAS A YOUNGER ACTRS, BOY, WHEN I H MY 60S AND I’M OLR WH GRAY HAIR, I’M GOG TO HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ROL THAT GERALDE PAGE GOT HER OLD AGE. BEE THERE AREN’T A LOT OF WOMEN WHO HAVEN’T HAD SURGERY WHO LOOK KD OF REAL. YOU FD SOME 60-YEAR-OLD ACTRS HAVE SO MUCH WORK DONE THAT THEY DON’T EVEN LOOK LIKE REAL PEOPLE WHEN YOU SEE THEM A MOVIE, RIGHT? SO I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE A BENEF AND THAT I WOULD WORK A LOT, AND ’S BEEN G TE THE LAST UPLE YEARS.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISAFTER LIFE AND BETTER THGS ARE BOTH SHOWS THAT THEIR STARS CREATED. IS THAT SOMETHG YOU WOULD NSIR, MAKG A VEHICLE FOR YOURSELF?YEAH, I’VE BEEN THKG ABOUT THAT AND WORKG WH SOME IENDS. BUT I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE LIFE RIGHTS TO A WOMAN I SAW ON TIKTOK…SHE WAS CHARGED WH EMBEZZLEMENT OVER $200,000 WHEN SHE WAS HER 20S AND SHE HAD FIVE CHILDREN. SHE THOUGHT, BEE WAS HER FIRST OFFENSE AND THE LAWYER WAS NOT REALLY UP TO PAR, THAT SHE WAS GOG TO GET PROBATN, AND SHE END UP GETTG 20 YEARS.WELL, SHE'S JT FISHED SERVG 10 YEARS, AND NOW SHE’S LIVG HER LIFE ON THE OUTSI AND DOG THE TIKTOKS ABOUT WHAT WAS LIKE PRISON. IT WAS NOT LIKE ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK. IT WAS 140 GRE THE SUMMER AND THEY WOULD SPRAY THEIR FLOOR WH WATER ORR TO NOT HAVE A SEIZURE BEE WAS SO FUCKG HOT.OUT OF THE BLUE I SENT HER A DM AND TOLD HER, “I'D LIKE TO BUY YOUR LIFE RIGHTS FOR TWO YEARS AND TAKE THIS TIME TO REALLY WORK ON MAKG A SHOW.”… SHE’S NOW ONLY 30-SOMETHG. THE SHOW WOULD BE ABOUT WHAT HER LIFE IS LIKE ON THE OUTSI AND WHAT WAS BACK PRISON AND HOW SHE’S TRYG TO RENNECT AND GET THE LOST TIME BACK WH HER CHILDREN AND HER MOTHER AND FATHER.SO, I’M GOG TO BE ACTIVELY WORKG ON THAT NEXT, AND TRY TO VELOP THAT FOR ANOTHER ACTRS TO DO, BUT I HAVEN’T REALLY THOUGHT OF WHAT I WOULD LOVE FOR ME. I ALWAYS THK I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY A NURSE, BEE I LOVE NURS. THEY N THE HOSPAL; THEY KEEP THE SPIR OF THE PATIENTS ALIVE. ANY TIME I’VE BEEN THE HOSPAL, WH MY HEART ATTACK OR MY STAPH FECTN, ’S BEEN THE NURS THAT LOVE PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE. SO PART OF ME WOULD LOVE TO DO SOMETHG ABOUT NURS, BUT I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE ACTORS STRIKE IS ON, THROWG HOLLYWOOD INTO TURMOILWHY A SEND TMP ADMISTRATN WOULD BE MUCH WORSEIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERIS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?THE BIGGT SNUBS AND SURPRIS OF THIS YEAR’S EMMY NOMATNSWHERE TO WATCH THE 2023 EMMY NOMEFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)TARA ARIANO

‘Now and Then’ cut out Rosie O’Donnell’s portrayal of Roberta as gay. Pellegro remarks that the origal script had Roberta scribed as a gay woman. ” Dpe her adherence to the character as wrten, “they removed a lot of the gay stuff” before the fal cut ma to the big screen.

O’Donnell reflected on how much thgs have changed, “But that was a long time ago when, you know, gay stuff wasn’t really as promently featured as is now our life.

To thk where my life has gone or what happened the trajectory of gay rights and civil rights for gay people, ’s been really a big journey that we’ve taken as a culture.

HOWARD STERN AND ROSIE O’DONNELL SLAM KID ROCK FOR SHOOTG BUD LIGHT CANS, SHOW SUPPORT FOR DYLAN MULVANEY: ‘GAY PEOPLE DRK BEER, TOO’

In the late '90s, Will and Grace, the NBC s about the iendship between Will, a gay lawyer played by Eric McCormack, and straight terr signer Grace (Debra Msg), was a smashg succs ratgs and cril acclaim.

ROSIE O’DONNELL SLAMS ‘MEAN’ KELLY RIPA, CLAIMS SHE ‘GAY BASHED’ CLAY AIKEN

And this woman, Debra Msg, is gog to play the straight bt iend to a gay guy. "In a ln years, I didn't thk that Ameri was ready to have that show or to have the explosn of gay culture that we're now . It's been a wild ri sce I was a ltle girl at 10 years old, who knew she was gay and who wanted to only wear boys' cloth.

ROSIE O’DONNELL CALLED KELLY RIPA TO APOLOGIZE AFTER CALLG HER ‘MEAN,’ ACCG HER OF GAY-BASHG CLAY AIKEN

(Photo: NBC/Courty: Everett Collectn)In fact, O'Donnell said that before her show had even aired, she let the higher-ups know that she was gay. "I told them before I signed the ntract that I was gay. I thk that of all the characters on A League of Their Own, me was fely the gayt.

But wasn't gay a way that is today.

It was gay the way of 1991.