Rosie O’Donnell’s Daughter, a Mom of Four, Cut Out of Her Mother’s $80M Will — Why?

The relationship between Rosie O'Donnell and her daughter, Chelsea O'Donnell, has long been turbulent, marked by public fallouts and emotional confrontations.

Now, years later, the actress has taken a final step — removing Chelsea from her $80 million estate, just before relocating to Ireland. In return, Chelsea moved to reclaim her birth identity. Take a look at the pair's tumultuous relationship over the years.

From Missing Teen to Legal Troubles – Inside Rosie and Chelsea's Turbulent Relationship

On August 18, 2015, Kelli Carpenter, Rosie's former partner, made a public plea on Facebook. “Our 17 year old daughter, Chelsea Belle was reported missing,” she wrote. “Nyack, New York police authorities have been looking for her in the Rockland County area since Sunday, August 16,” the post continued in part.

Shortly after she was publicly reported missing, Chelsea was found safe. Cindi Berger, Rosie's spokeswoman at the time, said that Chelsea had run away and had last been seen by her family on August 11.

Rosie also confirmed the news on X, stating that Chelsea had been located and was in police custody. “Rosie wants to thank everyone for their help, especially the South Nyack, New York, and Barneget Light, New Jersey, police departments,” the actress's rep stated.

However, months later, in a November 2015 interview, Chelsea disputed Rosie's version of events, claiming she had not run away. According to her, Rosie had kicked her out of the house — and then lied about it.

For Chelsea, the betrayal went far beyond just a disagreement over facts. It was, in her words, something she could never forgive. She said:

“I think that things that have happened in the last couple months are just something I can't get over and just forgive her for.”

When pressed about what those unforgivable acts were, Chelsea clarified, “Kicking me out of the house was a big thing and then saying that I ran away and putting out that I'm mentally ill.”

She went on to describe the chilling warnings she received from Rosie before the interview even aired. In a text message Chelsea shared, the actress allegedly threatened to expose her personal history if she went public. “Chelsea if you talk to the press your whole life history will be exposed,” the actress typed.

“Think before you act. There's no going back,” another read as well. But Chelsea moved forward with the interview, and according to her, Rosie's response was swift and cruel.

After learning that Chelsea had spoken out, the Hollywood star reportedly unleashed a barrage of text messages that left no doubt as to where their relationship stood.

“I don't love you either,” read one message. “You suck. You are not my kid anymore,” declared others. Another struck a particularly brutal chord, stating, “Life is better with you gone — sad but true.”

When asked if she thought she could love Rosie again someday, Chelsea replied, “I think that I'm not going to have that kind of relationship with her.”

Years later, Rosie and Chelsea's relationship appeared no less fractured. In October 2024, the latter, then a 27-year-old mother of four, was arrested twice in Wisconsin on drug-related charges and accusations of child neglect.

According to court records, she faced multiple felony and misdemeanor charges. Rosie reacted to the news by sharing a throwback photo of Chelsea as a new mother.

Amidst her legal troubles, in November 2024, Chelsea accused Rosie of turning her back on her.

“Chelsea is in the news today,” she wrote on Instagram. “This is a photo from a better time. sadly this is not new for our family – chelsea has struggled with drug addiction for a decade – we r all hopeful she will find her way out of this deadly disease #💔 #love #alanon 10.19.24.”

Chelsea was first arrested in September in Marinette County, Wisconsin, on felony counts of neglecting a child, maintaining a drug trafficking place, and possession of methamphetamine.

She was also charged with misdemeanor offenses, including possession of THC, illegally obtained prescriptions, drug paraphernalia, and domestic abuse.

Then, on October 14, just days after her release, she was arrested again in Oconto County and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine and narcotic drugs, bail jumping, and misdemeanor counts of drug paraphernalia possession and resisting or obstructing an officer.

Amidst her legal troubles, in November 2024, Chelsea accused Rosie of turning her back on her, criticizing her for supporting the Menendez brothers instead of helping her own daughter. Chelsea told DailyMail.com in a jailhouse interview:

“My mother is more interested in getting the Menendez brothers released from prison than getting me out.”

Rosie, for her part, believed that her daughter was safer behind bars than on the outside. However, by December, Chelsea had been arrested yet again.

Rosie addressed the incident in a December 3 Instagram post, writing, “So yes this is true – after being bailedout by her birth mother – chelsea was arrested again – and is facing many charges related to her drug addiction.”

“We all hope she is able to get the help she needs to turn her life around – #drug-addiction #tragic #sadness #truth,” the post continued. On November 18, Chelsea was arrested once more and held at Marinette County Jail, with no court date set at the time.

A Final Break – Rosie Cut Chelsea Out of Her Will

By early 2025, Chelsea's legal troubles had begun to reach a critical point. On March 31, court records revealed she had appeared alongside her attorney, Brad Hansen, to be sentenced after pleading guilty to three felony counts the month before.

The 27-year-old received a sentence of six years probation — two years for each felony. Under the terms of her probation, Chelsea was required to maintain absolute sobriety, refrain from possessing alcohol or any controlled substance without a prescription, avoid all known drug users or sellers, and not possess or own any firearms.

Rosie publicly responded to Chelsea's name change request with a poetic post on her Substack, titled “my child chelsea.”

She was also ordered to obtain a high school diploma or GED and complete a full mental health evaluation. With the sentencing complete, the criminal case against her was officially closed.

However, as of April 2025, her circumstances remained fragile. According to reports, her youngest child, 18 months old, was in foster care, while her other three children were living with their father.

Still, in February 2025, Chelsea took to Facebook to mark a personal milestone, sharing that she had been sober for 84 days. But despite her daughter's progress, Rosie made a final decision.

In early April 2025, she cut Chelsea out of her $80 million estate. The move came just days before the actress left the United States to begin a new life in Ireland.

The revelation of the will change reignited public attention, and Chelsea, in response, took legal action of her own — filing a petition to change her last name to Neuens, her birth mother's maiden name. A source close to Chelsea revealed:

“Chelsea really didn't care that Rosie wrote her out. I mean, who wouldn't want to have access to millions? But for Chelsea, it is not about the money; it's about feeling wanted and loved. And that's something she feels she has never really had from Rosie.”

The same source added, “Money is what allowed for Rosie to send her away to six or seven boarding schools during her lifetime. Rich people can pay someone else to raise their kids. Middle or lower-class parents actually have to be parents; they can't ship their kids off at the first sign of trouble.”

Rosie publicly responded to Chelsea's name change request with a poetic post on her Substack, titled “my child chelsea.” In the poem, she acknowledged her daughter's petition but questioned its meaning.

The actress admitted that she couldn't understand why Chelsea wanted to change her last name. Yet she ended her poem with a sentiment that revealed both the distance between them and a trace of hope, writing that it wasn't about her — that she remained present for Chelsea, even if Chelsea was no longer present for her.

The sentiment captured the emotional distance that had defined their relationship for years — a painful standoff between Rosie O'Donnell and her daughter that has played out in courtrooms, headlines, and finally, the lines of a poem.