Rosie O’Donnell has opened up about a recent visit with her daughter Chelsea O’Donnell, who was sentenced to prison in October 2025.
Chelsea, who was adopted by O’Donnell as a baby, was arrested three times between September and November 2024 for drug-related offenses. She is currently serving an 18-month sentence after her probation was revoked late last year.
In a recent interview with Page Six, the 64-year-old O’Donnell described the emotional meeting she had with Chelsea in June and revealed that the conversation marked a turning point in her relationship with her daughter.
“It was the first conversation I had with her in 10 years that lasted longer than 25 minutes. It was also the first time I had seen her continuously, during the four hours at the prison,” she told the publication. “And that was the first time I saw, in a way, an empathetic emotion from her.”
+ Learn how Sam Neill reunited with his eldest son 25 years after placing him for adoption
O’Donnell said their conversation was long and intense and revealed that her daughter looked healthy, calm and well-rested. According to the comedian, Chelsea, who has been sober for two years, still has many challenges to overcome but also many positive things ahead of her.
“She was born with an addiction, and when I adopted her, I thought, ‘Well, love can heal everything,’ but I don’t know if that’s true,” O’Donnell commented. “So, you know, she’s growing up, and I hope her future will be brighter than this past decade.”
The relationship between Chelsea and Rosie will be the subject of the comedian’s upcoming show. According to O’Donnell, her daughter was consulted about the project: “I asked Chelsea for her opinion,” she said.
“I sent her a message and said, ‘I would really like you to be heard, for your voice to be heard… and I think she’s ready for that now.’”
Images: Oconto County Sheriff, Instagram @rosie. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
