Rosie O’Donnell Says It’s Been ‘Very Exciting’ to Work on HBO’s ‘I Know This Much Is True’

The former The View cohost Rosie O’Donnell is focusing all of her energy on her “first love” — acting! In a new interview with Page Six, Rosie, 57, opened up about taking a break from appearing on talk shows to do more projects on the big screen.

“I’ve been very lucky in my career,” she explained. “I’ve been very lucky with SMILF. I think it’s an amazing show, and it’s very sad that it ended too quick, but it reminded me how much I do love acting.”

For two years Rosie starred as the beloved character Tutu on SMILF. But after giving it her all in the hit Showtime comedy series, she’s set to join HBO’s new show, I Know This Much Is True, which will premiere in 2020. “Getting this big, meaty, non-funny role has been very exciting,” she said about playing Lisa Sheffer, a social worker in the series.

By starring in these new TV shows, Rosie hopes her 19-year-old son, Blake Christopher O’Donnell, will finally get to see her on TV in a program that he actually enjoys watching. “My son was at a party, and he comes home and he goes, ‘Mom, I saw you on TV. You were in a baseball game, and you were a teenager,’” he told Rosie about her 1992 movie A League of Their Own. “I’m like, ‘Honey, that was my first movie. I was not a teenager. I was 29 years old.’

“My kids think it’s funny,” she explained. “They don’t know any of the movies I’ve been in.“ A League of Their Own is a classic movie so we understand why her son wanted to watch it. But once Rosie’s new show premieres on HBO next year, Blake will want to brag to all of his friends about what his mom does for work!