Rosie O’Donnell is as American as apple pie, born and raised in the U.S., with a career that’s been a staple of American pop culture for decades. But lately, her name’s been tangled up in political drama, citizenship debates, and a big move across the Atlantic. So, is she still an American citizen? Where’s she from originally? And where does she live now? Let’s break it all down.
Born in the USA: Rosie’s Roots and Early Life
Rosie O’Donnell was born Roseann O’Donnell on March 21, 1962, in Commack, New York, a suburban town on Long Island. Her parents were Irish-American — her dad, Edward Joseph O’Donnell, was an electrical engineer with roots in County Donegal, Ireland, and her mom, Roseann Teresa Murtha, was of Irish descent too. Growing up in a big family (she was the third of five kids), Rosie’s childhood wasn’t easy. Her mom died of breast cancer when she was just 10, and she later revealed that her family struggled with generational abuse and alcoholism.
But even as a kid, Rosie had a knack for comedy. She was voted homecoming queen, prom queen, and class clown in high school — basically, she was the kind of person who could make anyone laugh. After a brief stint in college (she dropped out of Dickinson College and Boston University), she hit the comedy club circuit, eventually winning Star Search five times in a row. That launched her into stand-up, then TV, and finally Hollywood, where she became a household name in the ’90s with roles in A League of Their Own, Sleepless in Seattle, and The Flintstones.
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By the 2000s, she was a daytime TV queen with The Rosie O’Donnell Show, earning her the nickname “The Queen of Nice.” But she’s also been a lightning rod for controversy, especially when it comes to her public feuds (more on that later).
From New York to Ireland: Where Rosie Lives Now (and Why)
So, is Rosie O’Donnell still an American citizen? Absolutely. Despite some very public threats from a certain president (we’ll get to that), U.S. citizenship isn’t something that can just be stripped away, especially for someone born on American soil. The 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, and legal experts have repeatedly said the president has no power to revoke it.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 12, 2025
But here’s the twist: Rosie doesn’t live in the U.S. anymore. In early 2025, shortly after Donald Trump won his second term, she packed up and moved to Ireland with her 12-year-old child, Clay. She’s now living in Howth, a cozy seaside village near Dublin, and she’s in the process of getting Irish citizenship through her grandparents.
Why the move? In her own words, she left because she didn’t feel safe in America under the current political climate. “When it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,” she said in a TikTok video. She’s been a vocal critic of Trump for years (their feud dates back to 2006 when she called him out on The View), and after his 2024 win, she decided to act on a plan she’d discussed with her therapist.
Life in Ireland seems to suit her. She’s talked about how welcoming the people are, how her kid is thriving in school there, and how she loves the small-town vibe where she knows the local grocer by name. But she still misses her older kids (she has five in total) and her lifelong friends back in the States.
As for Trump’s threats to revoke her citizenship? She clapped back on Instagram, comparing him to Game of Thrones’ tyrannical King Joffrey and posting a photo of him with Jeffrey Epstein for good measure. Legal experts agree — it’s all bluster. Rosie’s citizenship is secure, whether she’s in New York or Dublin.
Final Thoughts: An American Icon, Wherever She Is
I support Rosie O’Donnell. Period. https://t.co/fcVDagGe49 pic.twitter.com/RjH8mrfnXG
— greg 😈 (@mistergeezy) July 12, 2025
Rosie O’Donnell’s story is a uniquely American one, a self-made comedian who rose to fame, became a cultural icon, and then made a bold move when she felt her country was heading in a direction she couldn’t support. She’s still a U.S. citizen, still outspoken, and now, officially, an Irish resident.
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Will she ever move back? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: whether she’s in Howth or Hollywood, Rosie O’Donnell isn’t fading into the background anytime soon.
