Rosie O’Donnell is embracing her latest role as a grandmother after welcoming her fifth grandchild, Anthony Joel O’Donnell. The 64-year-old comedian says watching her adult son become a father has brought her an unexpected sense of fulfillment. The experience has also taught O’Donnell something she did not understand after losing her own mother at a young age: Children continue to need their parents throughout their lives.
O’Donnell celebrated her newest grandchild by sharing a sweet photograph with her 5.1 million social media followers on Wednesday. In the image, four-month-old Anthony looked directly into the camera while smiling. “My beautiful grandson Anthony,” O’Donnell captioned the post.
Anthony was born on March 26 to O’Donnell’s son Blake and his wife, Teresa. During a PEOPLE cover story published Wednesday, the 12-time Emmy winner opened up about the emotions she has experienced while watching Blake care for his child. “Watching my 26-year-old son hold his baby is the most indescribable joy that I’ve ever experienced in my life,” O’Donnell said.
The comedian explained that becoming a grandmother has deepened her understanding of the bond between parents and their adult children. “I want to be here for all of it, you know. I really do,” she shared. “I’m very stunned and surprised all the time by the fact that children need their parents through their whole life. And when you were robbed of that, you don’t know that. I kind of love seeing the fact that my kids still need me.”
Blake Pleaded With His Mother To Return To New York
O’Donnell relocated to Dublin with her 13-year-old non-binary child, Clay, in January 2025 ahead of President Donald Trump’s second term. However, Blake’s request for his mother to return to New York left a significant impression on her. “My son said, ‘Mommy, I want you to move back. I want you to be around my baby. I want you to be around us,’” the Long Island native recalled.
The request forced O’Donnell to confront the distance between her current life in Ireland and the family experiences unfolding in the United States. “That really hit home because I understand and, you know, the joy that I feel being around him and this newborn… Again, I don’t have the words for it,” she explained.
O’Donnell said that observing Blake’s connection with Anthony has become one of the most rewarding parts of this new chapter. “I get so much fulfillment watching him parent this child that he adores [and] adores him right back,” she said. “It’s an amazing feeling. Something I never really anticipated.”
O’Donnell, whose grandparents were from Ireland, is reportedly still in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship.
Donald Trump Threatened O’Donnell’s Citizenship
O’Donnell’s relocation came amid her continued public conflict with Trump. The president has threatened to strip O’Donnell of her American citizenship. However, the 14th Amendment grants citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the United States, meaning he cannot legally carry out the threat. Her son’s emotional plea now gives O’Donnell another factor to consider as she balances her life abroad with her growing family back home.
The possibility of returning would allow her to spend more time with Blake, Teresa, and Anthony as the infant grows. O’Donnell made clear that being physically present for those milestones has become increasingly important to her.
Rosie O’Donnell Shares An Update On Daughter Chelsea
Anthony is O’Donnell’s fifth grandchild, but the comedian said she was unable to develop the same bond with her four older grandchildren through her daughter Chelsea. “[She] was in the throes of addiction during the life of those kids,” O’Donnell said.
The comedian revealed that Chelsea has now been sober for a year and a half. “She’s been sober now for a year and a half, and that’s a pretty big thing,” she said. “But I never got to see her as a mother with those children.”
Chelsea is currently incarcerated after being convicted of meth possession, bail jumping, and resisting or obstructing an officer. O’Donnell recently visited her in prison and described the reunion as deeply emotional. “I recently visited her in prison, which was overwhelmingly emotional, but I saw the kid that I used to know before she left home,” she recalled.
Although O’Donnell remains concerned about what will happen after her daughter’s release, she believes there are finally signs of progress. “There’s finally hope on the horizon,” she said. “I do worry what will happen when she gets out. It’s hard to hope because it’s been so devastating, as so many people know. She calls every day and we talk.”
O’Donnell welcomed Chelsea, Blake, 31-year-old son Parker, and 23-year-old daughter Vivienne during her relationship with first ex-wife Kelli Carpenter. Their relationship ended in 2007. She later adopted Clay, formerly known as Dakota, during her marriage to her late second ex-wife, Michelle Rounds. The marriage ended in 2015.
Along with embracing her growing family, O’Donnell remains busy professionally. She currently stars in her one-woman show, “Rosie O’Donnell: Common Knowledge,” which runs through August 8 at the Daryl Roth Theatre.
The former talk show host has another return to television ahead, as she said she “can’t wait” to guest host a week of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” episodes while Jimmy Kimmel takes his summer vacation.
