Rosie O’Donnell Talks Life in Ireland and If She’s Connected With Ellen DeGeneres Since U.S. Exits (Exclusive)

Rosie O’Donnell is settling into her new life in Ireland with her family.

“We chose Ireland and didn’t really know where to go,” O’Donnell exclusively told Us Weekly of her new home country while discussing her Hulu documentary special Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children With Autism. “And someone said Dalkey and I found a house online that was in Glengarry. But when the people who were helping us move in went there, there was mold in it.”

O’Donnell shared that after “black mold” was discovered in their home, she had to rethink their living situation for the sake of her family’s health. (O’Donnell moved to Ireland with her 12-year-old child, Clay, who has autism.)

“[We] could not move there, especially with an autistic child who has some allergy issues,” she explained. “And so we ended up in Howth.”

When arriving in Howth, O’Donnell and Clay stayed in an Airbnb, which was a short-term solution. Once their time was up there, O’Donnell and Clay officially settled in Dublin and couldn’t be happier.

“There’s a great, great school there. And Clay has done very well. And they were really welcoming,” the actress recalled. “And I love the little town, the little village. It’s in the heart of Dublin, but it’s still a village where you know the name of the grocer and you know the name of the cashiers. People are unbearably kind in a way that shocks me every single day.”

O’Donnell announced last month that she moved to Ireland and was in the process of getting her citizenship. The former talk show host isn’t the only A-List star who has relocated across the pond recently, either. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi relocated to the English countryside last year. O’Donnell confessed to Us that she hasn’t been in touch with DeGeneres, 67, and was “shocked” by her decision to leave the U.S.

“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,” O’Donnell told Us. I’ve been a political person my whole life, not better or worse, it’s just a different way to be in the world. I was very clear about the reason why I was leaving, and I don’t think it came as a surprise to anyone. We’re not really in each other’s worlds, and it’s been kind of awkward 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.”

Despite not having the strongest relationship with DeGeneres, O’Donnell doesn’t have any “malice” towards her whatsoever.

“I don’t want to fight against another gay woman. It’s not like we’re tenaciously opposed to each other. We’re just very different people. We have had some stuff in the past that we never resolved. And not in any way as, as partners or lovers or anything like that, just as friends and comedians, but I wish her the best. I seriously do,” she told Us. “I think that there’s enough room in the world for all of the gay comedians, and we all need to stick together because gay people are the next group to be threatened. And the way they attack trans people is absolutely terrifying. If people don’t understand that they’re a vital part of the LBGTQIA+ community, that’s tragic because we protect our own, especially the most vulnerable.”

While O’Donnell is putting down roots in a new country, she confessed that she misses her adult children and friends who remain in the States. Before moving, O’Donnell would consistently have group phone chats with her pals. Now, she hasn’t been able to jump on those treasured calls as much as she likes.

“It’s been very hard because of the time zone for me to participate in that. And I really miss that,” she explained, noting that she still keeps in touch with her inner circle. “I call my kids, I FaceTime my kids. I have two best friends, Junie and Jackie, since I [was] 3 years old. They’re really like sisters. And I talk to them all the time. I have two brothers I’m very close to. I talk to them all the time.”

Despite missing her family, O’Donnell said she doesn’t regret her decision to move.

“I know myself enough to know that this was something I needed to do for the safety and sanity of myself and my non-binary child,” she said.

In addition to focusing on Clay’s mental health, O’Donnell is ensuring that Clay is living the best life they can. O’Donnell and Clay’s journey is featured in Hulu’s Unleashing Hope, a documentary that focuses on the impact service dogs have on families affected by autism. O’Donnell was grateful to use her platform to shine a light on the value of the initiative.

“It’s been really a difficult but beautiful journey,” O’Donnell told Us, while recalling her immediate reaction to Clay’s diagnosis. “I knew very much. I worked with Autism Speaks. I had seen many, many documentaries and even produced one called A Mother’s Courage. There was a familiarity there and there was something that felt familiar to me.”

Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children With Autism is available to stream now on Hulu.