Rosie O’Donnell opens up about whether she has remained in contact with Ellen DeGeneres after both left the US over Trump’s election.
Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres have not spoken since both decided to leave the U.S. after Donald Trump’s election.
O’Donnell, in a recent interview, shared her thoughts about their lack of communication.
Rosie O’Donnell reveals whether she’s kept in touch with Ellen DeGeneres
In her interview with Us Weekly, O’Donnell mentioned that she and DeGeneres are not in each other’s lives anymore.
“It’s been kind of awkward,” she said.
“We’re not really in each other’s worlds, and it’s been kind of awkward but you know what? I wish her the best.”
She added, “I wish that she has peace and love in her life and that she is OK.”
Despite their past friendship, O’Donnell was surprised to learn that DeGeneres left the country due to Trump’s presidency.
“I’ve never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump. Like, that shocked me, actually,” she said.
Ellen DeGeneres considers herself a political person.
Ellen DeGeneres, on the other hand, sees herself as a political person.
She stated that she has always been clear about her views. DeGeneres remarked, “Not better or worse, it’s just a different way to be in the world.”
She felt her decision to leave the U.S. was not a surprise to anyone who knew her.
The two stars have differing opinions on political engagement. O’Donnell expressed no ill feelings towards DeGeneres.
“I don’t want to fight against another gay woman. It’s not like we’re tenaciously opposed to each other. We’re just very different people,” she said.
O’Donnell reflects on their unresolved friendship issues.
She clarified that these issues were not romantic but stemmed from their friendship as comedians.
O’Donnell hopes for the best for DeGeneres despite their differences.
“We have had some stuff in the past that we never resolved. And not in any way as partners or lovers or anything like that, just as friends and comedians, but I wish her the best. I seriously do,” she said.
Both women share a concern for the LGBTQIA+ community.
O’Donnell pointed out that gay people are facing threats and that the attacks on transgender individuals are alarming.
She furthered, “Gay people are the next group to be threatened. And the way they attack trans people is absolutely terrifying.
“If people don’t understand that they’re a vital part of the LBGTQIA+ community, that’s tragic because we protect our own, especially the most vulnerable.”
O’Donnell relocated to Ireland for safety.
Five days before Trump took office, O’Donnell moved to Ireland with her non-binary child, Clay.
She felt that relocating was the best choice for their safety.
“I was never someone who thought I would move to another country, that’s what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child. And here we are,” she said at the time.
O’Donnell expressed mixed feelings about her move. While she misses her other children and friends back in the U.S., she is happy in Ireland.
She is currently working on gaining her Irish citizenship, which connects her to her family’s roots.
“You know, I’m happy. Clay is happy. I miss my other kids, my friends.
I miss many things about life there at home and I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country and when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,” she further told Us Weekly.
Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, also left the U.S. after the 2024 election.
They settled in a small village about two hours from London.
Sources revealed that they felt disillusioned by the election results and decided to “get the hell out” of the country.
DeGeneres and de Rossi purchased their new home before the election. They are seeking a fresh start away from the political turmoil in the U.S.
Like O’Donnell, DeGeneres has mentioned feeling safer in their new environment.
