When you see Rosie O’Donnell on screen—whether she’s cracking jokes on her legendary 90s talk show or getting into it on The View—you're seeing a woman shaped by a very specific, very crowded Long Island upbringing. People often assume that stars like her just "appear" out of nowhere, fully formed. But Rosie didn't. She’s the middle child of five.
Growing up in Commack, New York, the O'Donnell house wasn't exactly a peaceful suburban sanctuary. It was loud. It was Irish Catholic. And, as Rosie has shared in some of her most vulnerable moments, it was marked by a trauma that bound the five siblings together in a way most of us can't really wrap our heads around.
If you've ever wondered about the Rosie O'Donnell brothers and sisters, you're looking at a group of people who survived the unthinkable. They lost their mother, Roseann Teresa Murtha, to breast cancer when Rosie was only ten. Then, they had to navigate life with an emotionally distant, and later allegedly abusive, father.
The Political Powerhouse: Daniel J. O’Donnell
Most people who follow New York politics know the name Daniel O’Donnell, but they don't always connect the dots to his famous sister. Danny, as he’s known, is actually older than Rosie (born in 1960). While Rosie was conquering Hollywood, Danny was conquering Albany.
He didn't just have a seat at the table; he built the table. He was the first openly gay man elected to the New York State Assembly. Think about that for a second. In 2002, when he first won, the world was a very different place. He spent over twenty years representing Manhattan’s 69th District.
If you’re a fan of marriage equality, you kind of owe him a thank you. He was the primary sponsor of the Marriage Equality Act in New York. He wasn't just doing it for the "cause"—he was doing it for himself and his longtime partner (now husband), John Banta.
Danny announced his retirement from electoral politics late in 2023, ending a career that basically redefined LGBTQ+ rights in the state of New York. Honestly, the sibling dynamic there must be fascinating. You have two of the most prominent gay figures in American public life, and they both came from the same house in Commack.
The Rest of the O’Donnell Clan: Edward, Maureen, and Timothy
Rosie sits right in the middle. Besides Danny, there’s:
- Edward J. O'Donnell Jr.: The oldest of the bunch. Ed has stayed mostly out of the spotlight, though he appeared alongside Rosie on the NBC show Who Do You Think You Are? back in 2011. They traced their roots back to Ireland together, digging through the grim history of the potato famine and their ancestors' struggle. It was one of the few times we saw the "big brother" role in action.
- Maureen O'Donnell: Rosie’s sister (now Maureen Cummins). She’s been spotted at various premieres with Rosie over the decades—everything from the A League of Their Own party in '92 to the Emmy Awards. While she isn't a celebrity, she’s clearly been a steady presence in Rosie’s life.
- Timothy O'Donnell: The "baby" of the family. Timmy is the younger brother who rounds out the five. Like Maureen, he’s lived a much more private life, though he has frequently supported Rosie’s charity events, like the For All Kids Foundation galas.
The Trauma That Defined Them
You can't talk about the Rosie O'Donnell brothers and sisters without talking about why they are so close (and sometimes so complicated).
When their mother died in 1973, four days before Rosie’s 11th birthday, the family structure essentially collapsed. Their father, an electrical engineer named Edward, didn't exactly step up in the way a grieving family needs. Rosie has been open about the fact that the kids were left to "fend for themselves."
She’s also been brutally honest in recent years about darker details. In a 2024 interview and several social media posts, Rosie confirmed that she and her siblings suffered sexual abuse at the hands of their father. She described a cycle of "generational abuse and alcoholism" that plagued the family.
When you hear that, the success of the O'Donnell kids looks different. It’s not just "local girl makes good." It’s a story of five people who protected each other when nobody else would.
Misconceptions: The "Other" O’Donnells
Here’s a fun fact that people get wrong all the time: Lawrence O’Donnell is not Rosie’s brother. Because they’re both outspoken, both Irish-American, and both in the media, people just assume they’re related. They aren't. Lawrence is from a completely different family. The same goes for the Irish singer Daniel O'Donnell. If you're looking for Rosie's brother Danny, he's the one who was passing laws in New York, not the one singing "Danny Boy" on PBS.
Where They Are Now
As of 2026, the O'Donnell siblings are mostly in their 60s. They’ve gone from being kids in a "Lord of the Flies" situation on Long Island to being successful adults with their own families.
- Daniel is transitioning out of his long political career.
- Rosie continues to be a vocal advocate and actress, recently finding "healing" by connecting with other survivors of family trauma.
- Edward, Maureen, and Timothy continue to live relatively private lives, though the bond forged in their childhood home in Commack remains the foundation of who they are.
If you’re looking to understand the O'Donnell family better, the best place to start is Rosie's own memoir Find Me or her appearances on genealogy shows. They provide a raw look at how a group of siblings can experience the same tragedy and come out of it with completely different ways of coping.
To keep up with how the O'Donnell family history continues to impact Rosie's current work, you should look into her recent podcast episodes where she discusses "generational healing"—it's a deep dive into how she and her siblings have processed their past as they've grown older.
Next Steps: You might want to look up the 2011 episode of Who Do You Think You Are? featuring Rosie and her brother Ed. It’s a rare, unscripted look at their sibling shorthand and how they interact when the cameras aren't focused on a comedy bit.