Rosie O'Donnell, born March 21, 1962, in Commack, New York, is an American actress, comedian, television host, and LGBTQ activist. She rose to prominence with her Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show, *The Rosie O'Donnell Show* (1996–2002), which earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show and Outstanding Talk Show Host. The show was noted for its warm, approachable style and support of Broadway, helping boost theater interest and ratings for the Tony Awards during her tenure as host[1][2][5]. O'Donnell began her career in comedy and acting as a teenager, eventually leaving college to pursue stand-up comedy. She appeared in television shows such as *Gimme a Break!* and won the comedy competition *Star Search* multiple times. Her film roles include parts in *Sleepless in Seattle*, *Another Stakeout*, the voice of Terk in Disney’s *Tarzan* (1999), and children’s films like *Harriet the Spy* and *Wide Awake*[1][2][3][6]. In addition to her talk show success, O'Donnell co-hosted the daytime talk show *The View* during two separate periods (2006–07 and 2014–15), where she was known for her outspoken political views, notably on the Iraq War and criticism of Donald Trump. Her tenure on *The View* was marked by both increased ratings and on-air conflicts, leading to her departures[4]. More recently, O'Donnell has focused on acting roles in television series including *SMILF* (2017–2019), *I Know This Much Is True* (2020), and appearances in *Russian Doll* and *A League of Their Own* (2022). She has also been active as a Broadway performer and producer, with credits including starring roles in *Grease*, *Seussical*, and *Fiddler on the Roof*, as well as producing the musical *Taboo*[5][4]. Overall, Rosie O'Donnell remains a significant figure in American entertainment, known for her versatile career spanning comedy, acting, hosting, and activism[1][2][4][5].