Life in Ireland, however, has offered a reprieve from her rage.
On Halloween, a stranger greeted her in her adopted home, saying, “Welcome to Ireland, Rosie. We hate Trump, too.”
And O’Donnell experiences a far quieter version of fame in the Emerald Isle – a balance that allows her to focus on her children, particularly her youngest, 12-year-old Clay, who is nonbinary and autistic.
Friends say this focus has helped her channel energy into parenthood and creative projects, including a one-woman show reflecting on her mother’s death.
She has also maintained her instinct to help others. In Dublin, she has intervened in small emergencies, such as performing the Heimlich maneuver on a choking diner.
Sheila Nevins, a longtime friend, said: “I love her, I worry about her, and I fear for her.”
Fran Drescher added, “In rescuing others, she is always trying to rescue her hurt inner child. And you know, it’s not really the way to fix yourself.”
Carolyn Strauss, former head of HBO’s programming, explained: “Rosie’s membrane between her and the world is very porous… she has a particular gravitational pull toward the wounded among us, especially emotionally and psychologically wounded.”
Despite the challenges of her self-imposed exile, O’Donnell has found a new rhythm.
Jeanne Kopetic, a friend since seventh grade, claimed: “She used to go from the car to the house quickly… now she kind of comfortably just settles herself among the people.”
For O’Donnell, Ireland offers both a haven and a new stage – a space where celebrity and civilian life can coexist, however precariously.
