Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American
stand-up comedian,
actress,
singer,
author and
media personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity
blogger,
LGBT rights activist,
television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company
R Family Vacations.
Raised
Roman Catholic, O'Donnell lost her mother to cancer as a pre-teen and has consistently stressed values of protecting children and supporting families throughout her career. O'Donnell started her comedy career while still a teenager and her big break was on the talent show
Star Search when she was twenty years old. A TV
sitcom and a series of movies introduced her to a larger national audience and in 1996 she started hosting
The Rosie O'Donnell Show which won multiple Emmy awards.