Rosie O’Donnell packed her bags and bought a ticket to a foreign country to build her life outside the US.
The comedian, 62, told her audience in a lengthy video that she and her 12-year-old daughter, Dakota, moved to Ireland and would only return when there’s “equal rights” for all citizens in the US.
Rosie shares Dakota (whose nickname is Clay) with her late ex-wife, Michelle Rounds.
Her move to Ireland came months after Ellen DeGeneres waved goodbye to her home country. Other celebrities have also expressed their desire to move.
Rosie O’Donnell told fans she packed her bags and moved to a foreign country
In a nine-minute video, Rosie revealed that she moved to Ireland in January and described the country as “beautiful” and “warm.”
She said she was “grateful” for her experience so far, describing the people as “loving,” kind, and “so welcoming.”
Pointing out that her grandparents hailed from Ireland, she said she was in the process of getting her Irish citizenship.
The comedian said she never thought she would make another country her home but decided it “would be the best” for her and her daughter.
“And here we are,” she told her followers on TikTok.
“You know, I’m happy. Clay is happy,” she went on to say. “I miss my other kids. I miss my friends.”
Rosie also shares children Parker, 29, Chelsea, 27, Blake, 25, and Vivienne, 22, with her ex-wife Kelli Carpenter.
The comedian said she is in the process of getting her Irish citizenship
While there are “things about life” in the US that she misses, she said she is trying to “find a home” in the “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 said.
“It’s been heartbreaking to see what’s happening politically and hard for me personally as well,” she continued. “The personal is political, as we all know.”
The 62-year-old said she’s had a “wonderful” experience in Ireland so far and the people have been “so welcoming”
Naysayers claimed they felt “bad for Ireland” and said “she should have left a long time ago.”
“Poor Ireland,” one commenter said, while another wrote, “Glad she kept her promise! May her friends follow.”
“I feel bad for Ireland, but good for the states…however, if she is serious she needs to rescind her American citizenship,” another said.
One wrote, “THANK YOU, ROSIE!!! BEST GIFT TO US WHO LOVE OUR COUNTRY!!!”
Yet others supported her decision, with one saying, “I absolutely loved Ireland. I hope you find your peace there.”
“Please don’t forget us. We can’t leave,” a person said, while another wrote, “This is so devastating. Now I’m 1000 % convinced we are doomed, if Rosie actually left.”
“Maybe the US doesn’t want her to come back!” read one comment online
“I can’t believe we live in a world where Rosie O’Donnell has to flee from America for safety,” said another.
“I don’t blame her, if I could, I’d do the same thing! I’m beyond ashamed of my country and fearful of what’s to come,” one said.
Earlier this month, Rosie seemingly teased the announcement of her no longer being in the US.
She told her fans that she had bought a used car to “tool around the countryside on the wrong side of the road.”
Months before Rosie’s move, Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi relocated to England.
The couple sold their home in Montecito, California, and have settled in the Cotswolds, UK.
Rosie’s move came months after several celebrities expressed their desire to wave goodbye to the United States
Singer Cher revealed in 2023 that she may leave the US if Donald Trump returns to the White House for a second presidential term.
“If he gets in, who knows? This time I will leave [the country],” the singer told The Guardian.
@rosie hello all – here’s whats been going on folks – sending love ❤️- follow me on substack – link in my bio #bewell #speakkindlytoyourself #dourbest ♬ original sound – Rosie ODonnell
Sharon Stone spoke about leaving the country for a new life in Europe as well. She told the Daily Mail that she was considering buying a house in Italy if Trump was elected.
“I am certainly considering a house in Italy. I think that’s an intelligent construct at this time,” she told the outlet last year.
“This is one of the first times in my life that I’ve actually seen anyone running for office on a platform of hate and oppression,” she added.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi sold their California home and moved to the UK
Eva Longoria revealed she decided to leave the US after the Covid pandemic hit.
“I’m privileged. I get to escape and go somewhere,” the Desperate Housewives actress told Marie Claire.
“Most Americans aren’t so lucky,” she continued. “They’re going to be stuck in this dystopian country, and my anxiety and sadness is for them.”
“Nobody would have missed her,” a critic said after Rosie O’Donnell’s announcement
