Rosie O'Donnell Reacts to Ellen DeGeneres' Move to the UK Amid Political Discontent

Rosie O'Donnell expressed how surprised she was to learn that fellow comedian Ellen DeGeneres had recently relocated to the UK. O'Donnell, who moved to Ireland in January 2024 with her 12-year-old son Clay, offered her thoughts on DeGeneres' November 2024 move to England.
In an interview with Us Weekly, she said, “I’ve never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump. Like, that shocked me, actually,” said O’Donnell, 63. She added, “I’ve been a political person my whole life, not better or worse, it’s just a different way to be in the world."
Reasons for leaving
DeGeneres has not publicly disclosed her reasons, but O'Donnell has been open about leaving because of political discontent. According to The Wrap, DeGeneres admitted to friends that the 2024 election had an impact on her decision to relocate. According to reports, she and her spouse, Portia de Rossi, have no intention of going back to the US.
Following a month of house hunting, DeGeneres and de Rossi made their home in the English countryside, a source told PEOPLE. Later, the couple was seen in the Cotswolds, a popular spot for celebrities in the United Kingdom.
DeGeneres has shared pictures of her new life on Instagram since the move, including one of de Rossi photographing a double rainbow on their property. She has also sold a property in the United States, but she still maintains a second residence there, primarily to house her chickens, which are looked after by a "chicken sitter."
O’Donnell, who regularly posts political commentary on TikTok, said her decision to leave the U.S. wasn’t a secret. “I was very clear about the reason why I was leaving, and I don’t think it came as a surprise to anyone,” she explained. On DeGeneres’ move, she added, “We’re not really in each other’s worlds… but you know what? I wish her the best. I wish that she has peace and love in her life and that she is OK.”
Their relationship has had tension. In a 2022 ‘Watch What Happens Live’ interview, O’Donnell recalled DeGeneres once telling Larry King, "‘I don’t know Rosie. We’re not friends." Though DeGeneres later apologized by text in 2023, O’Donnell admitted, “It just felt like I don’t trust this person to be in my world.”
Still, she holds no grudge. “We’re just very different people... but I wish her the best. I seriously do.”