NEWSRosie O’Donnell Calls Falling Out With Former Friend Ellen DeGeneres 'One of the Most Painful Things' to 'Ever Happen'
Rosie O’Donnell looked back at her former friendship with Ellen DeGeneres, calling their falling out one of the 'most painful' things she’s experienced.
Sept. 10 2025, Published 6:00 a.m. ET
Rosie O’Donnell looked back at her former friendship with Ellen DeGeneres and called their falling out one of the most difficult things she’s experienced in show business.
O’Donnell, 63, explained the end of their friendly relationship during the Sunday, September 7, episode of the “No Filter” podcast, recalling how DeGeneres, 67, announced that they weren’t friends during a 2004 interview on Larry King Live.
Rosie O'Donnell Described the End of Her Friendship With Ellen DeGeneres
Rosie O'Donnell called her falling out with Ellen DeGeneres with 'very painful.'
At the time, O’Donnell recounted that DeGeneres was “in the same position” that she herself had been in years prior, as the Finding Nemo actress had come out as gay on her sitcom in 1997. O’Donnell came out years later in 2002, making the announcement toward the end of her run on The Rosie O’Donnell Show.
"Instead of deciding to stand next to me and hold my hand, which is what I did to her, she did the opposite," O'Donnell said, referring to the support she received from DeGeneres. "That was, like, one of the most painful things that ever happened to me, in show business, in my life.”
Rosie O'Donnell Says Ellen DeGeneres 'Rehashes' Argument for 'Pleasure'
Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O' Donnell's friendship was more than 30 years long.
DeGeneres and O’Donnell’s friendship spanned more than 30 years, as The Flintstones actress noted that she had photos of her former friend holding her newborn babies.
"I think in her mind, she thinks I keep rehashing it for pleasure,” O’Donnell recalled, adding she “would have apologized” to DeGeneres.
"I don't rehash it for pleasure," she explained. "I rehash it because our careers have taken sort of parallel, interwoven paths."
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Ellen DeGeneres Checked in on Rosie O'Donnell in 2023
Ellen DeGeneres checked in on Rosie O'Donnell in 2023.
O’Donnell recalled the same story with DeGeneres during a 2022 appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
One year later, O’Donnell updated fans and revealed her former friend had reached out to apologize.
"She texted me a few weeks ago checking in, seeing how I’m doing, and I asked her how she’s surviving not being on TV. It’s a big transition," O'Donnell told The Hollywood Reporter at the time.
Ellen DeGeneres' Show Was Canceled After 19 Seasons
Ellen DeGeneres moved to England after her show was canceled.
DeGeneres’ longtime talk show was famously canceled after 19 seasons in 2022. The end of the show followed a July 2020 Buzzfeed News report, where current and former employees recounted hostility on set, including being penalized for taking medical leave, instances of racial microaggressions and a fear of retribution for raising complaints.
DeGeneres currently lives a quieter life overseas with her wife, Portia de Rossi.
