Rosie O'Donnell details emotional prison reunion with daughter

Rosie O'Donnell has spoken about visiting her daughter in prison.

The League of Their Own star visited her 28-year-old daughter, Chelsea Belle O'Donnell, in prison last month.

Now she has told how it was the longest conversation the pair has had in a decade.

"(It) was the first conversation I've had with her in 10 years that lasted more than 25 minutes," Rosie told Page Six. "The first time that I saw her in a consistent way was the four hours in the prison."

She told how Chelsea, who she adopted in 1997 with ex-wife Kelli Carpenter, has been sober for "almost two years now," adding, "That's a very big part. She was born addicted, and when I was adopting, I thought, 'Well, love can cure everything,' but I don't know that that's true."

A tornado warning cut the visit short; something Rosie revealed made Chelsea cry. Rosie told how those tears were the "first time I've seen an empathetic emotion from her." She added, "She's growing up. I hope that her future is brighter than this past decade has been."

Chelsea was sentenced to prison last October after she was arrested three times in 2024. Charges included neglecting a child and possession of methamphetamine.

Rosie will talk about her relationship with Chelsea in her upcoming one-woman show. "I've asked for Chelsea's input," she said. "I sent it to her and said, 'I'd really love to get you - your voice heard and just now what I perceive to be your voice ... and I think she's ready to do that now."