SPOILER ALERT: This story incorporates spoilers for “Outlook Good,” Season 3, Episode 1 of “And Simply Like That,” now streaming on HBO Max.

And similar to that, Rosie O’Donnell has made a splashy return to comedy. 

On the season premiere of “And Simply Like That,” O’Donnell performs Mary, a girl visiting New York from out of city whom Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) picks up at a bar, anticipating by no means to see once more. Mary and Miranda share an evening collectively at Mary’s resort, however Mary lingers, having caught emotions for an comprehensible cause: She had been a virgin earlier than assembly Miranda. At dwelling, in Winnipeg, Mary is a nun, and sexuality has been a closed-off a part of her life. She continues to push for Miranda to affix her in numerous tourist-trap actions, and the pair lastly reunite in Occasions Sq., the place Mary, a “Depraved” superfan, sings a little bit of “For Good” to thank Miranda for displaying her what she actually wanted.

It’s a juicy position, one of many “Intercourse and the Metropolis” franchise’s basic one-night stands, performed by a comic book actor who is aware of the territory. O’Donnell got here out as a lesbian in 2002, as her each day speak present, “The Rosie O’Donnell Present,” was winding down. O’Donnell is in a reflective mode forward of performing in a one-woman present based mostly on her life at this summer season’s Edinburgh Fringe Pageant. She hopes to tour the manufacturing, however for now, the Scottish metropolis is a brief journey from her present dwelling in Eire, the place she moved as a response to Donald Trump’s second-term presidency. 

O’Donnell spoke to Selection about diving into the “Intercourse and the Metropolis” universe, what she’s discovered about herself whereas elevating a nonbinary tween and the way Eire fits her up to now. 

How are you? 

I’ve questions on your siblings’ names.

My siblings’ names? 

Are all of them “D”s, such as you? 

No, I’m the fortunate one. My siblings are named Jane and Emily. 

I saved pondering: Deirdre D’Addario, Danielle D’Addario…

Anyway, I presume it was Michael Patrick King who approached you for the position. 

It was Cynthia. I’m good associates with Cynthia Nixon, and my daughter was truly her assistant on set for the final season of “Intercourse and” — of “And Simply Like That.” I name it “Intercourse and the Metropolis 2,” however that’s not it. She put her on there, after which she mentioned, “By the best way, Michael instructed me that he has a job for you. Are you up for it?” I mentioned, “Are you kidding me? In a minute!” I didn’t even have to consider it. 

I’ve identified Michael Patrick King for in all probability over 30 years. Once I was a younger comic, he was in a comedy duo known as King and Mindy — Lisa Mindy and Michael King. I used to hang around with them at Catch a Rising Star and on the Improv. It’s been fairly superb to see the people who started collectively doing so nicely. 

Mary definitely has her quirks — how did it really feel figuring out that this was the character that had been written for you, when you learn it? 

I laughed my ass off. I believed — I understand how to play this character. I used to be very, very completely happy to be doing all my scenes with Cynthia. It was not performing for me. I don’t must act in love together with her, as a result of I’ve been in love together with her for a few years. I noticed her in “Wit,” on Broadway, and regardless that I had identified her for very a few years and was associates together with her in an actual approach, after I went backstage, I used to be awestruck and couldn’t discover my phrases. 

Have you ever identified folks like Mary who’re remoted from their sexuality, whilst they become older? 

100%. I do know many ladies who solely come to it of their 40s, and the way onerous it’s once they arrange a life with a person and kids, after which they arrive to appreciate this fundamental factor about themselves. I perceive their wrestle. It was a relatable character — anyone who, for all totally different causes, wasn’t in a position to be in contact with who they have been, after which got here to seek out the sweetness that awaits the remainder of her life. 

It’s sort of the comedy model of Miranda’s later-in-life coming-out.

Yeah! There needs to be humor — it saves us in life from very emotionally distressing instances. Comedy saves us all ultimately. You do snort at her being overly enthusiastic about seeing “Depraved” for the 14th time. That was not onerous to play for me. As a result of all of my large emotional moments could be discovered within the musicals of my lifetime. 

Having grown up together with your speak present, on which you enthused about Broadway, and now seeing you sing a couple of bars from “Depraved” on “And Simply Like That” — it was a full-circle second. 

I only recently talked to a three-time Tony Award-winning producer from London who desires to assist me get my one-woman present that I’m doing in Edinburgh to tour, and to possibly go to the West Finish. And, hopefully when the politics are extra sane, again to Broadway, which might be my dream, to do a one-woman present on Broadway. He instructed me that he grew up a homosexual child in Texas, and the one publicity he needed to Broadway was my present. When he noticed it time and again, he knew that’s what he needed his life to be. Now he’s a Tony Award-winning producer.

I by no means thoughts when folks of their 30s or 40s come over to me and say “You actually made a profound influence on my life.” It lets me know that there was an even bigger goal for what I used to be doing. 

“Intercourse and the Metropolis” was a zeitgeist present on the identical second as your speak present. Did it ever cross your thoughts that you’d be part of this universe? 

No, as a result of “Intercourse and the Metropolis” was such a girl-, woman-focused present in a approach that I don’t possess. You see these women who’ve lengthy hair and know whip it up right into a bun; I lack that gene. There’s women who know gown themselves to look applicable for his or her physique form, and I used to be by no means that woman. I placed on boys’ garments. I rode a motorbike. I used to be positively just a little homosexual woman. 

I’ve just a little one who’s nonbinary — 12 years outdated — and it was probably the most attention-grabbing factor. They mentioned to me, “Mommy, I’m nonbinary. I’m not a boy and I’m not a lady.” I mentioned, “OK, unbelievable.” They go, “My pronouns are they/them, and I’d like them revered.” I’ll do my best possible, proper? Who’re they, Harvey Milk reincarnated? 

After which they mentioned, “Are you nonbinary?” And I mentioned, “Effectively, you already know what, honey, I’m an O.G. lesbian. I’m a lady who knew I used to be a lady, who appreciated being a lady, however didn’t really feel like an actual woman. However I by no means needed to be a boy. I by no means thought of boys. I used to be solely all the time serious about women.” After which they mentioned, “What did your class say once you instructed them?”

It’s a complete new world.

Are you able to think about? They haven’t any understanding of what it was like after I was 10 in 1972 and no one talked about it. The phrase was not mentioned — you’ll by no means admit it. You’d go to church and listen to horrible issues about folks such as you, and Billie Jean [King] and Martina [Navratilova] needed to disclaim their lesbianism and fake they weren’t homosexual with a purpose to proceed engaged on the tennis circuit, and that was so painful for me after I was a 10-year-old. They didn’t perceive. I’ve been attempting to elucidate to them what it was like after I was a child, and they’re surprised. 

I feel again to you as a celeb within the Nineteen Nineties — a a lot totally different time than right now when it comes to homosexual rights — and now you on “And Simply Like That,” proudly rocking your loose-fitting “Depraved” T-shirt. I think about the latter is extra comfy. 

It was actually an odd time to be out of the closet to everybody in present enterprise who knew me personally — and in my life, everybody knew and I had youngsters. Upon getting youngsters, you’re out! Since you go together with your accomplice to the varsity conferences. I used to be out to everybody besides the general public. And I usually thought it was stunning that after I did come out, folks have been shocked. “Effectively, you want Tom Cruise.” I didn’t need him bare in my mattress! I needed him to mow my garden and provides me a lemonade. What number of instances do I’ve to say that?

I used to be delighted to see you pop up on “Hacks” just lately as nicely, taking part in your self. Some other comedies you’re serious about becoming a member of? 

I used to be speculated to do, proper earlier than I left, an episode of “Poker Face.” I’m hoping that I’ll be capable to do this, though I don’t know — with the present political local weather, when would it not be secure to come back again with my baby? I’m not going to push it earlier than this administration is totally completed, and hopefully held accountable for his or her crimes. 

How does residing in Eire swimsuit you? Has it been a constructive change? 

By no means, for one second since I arrived right here, did I remorse my selection. Folks have been so welcoming, so accepting, they usually have a special view of movie star within the tradition right here. They don’t seem to be prioritized over different folks. Individuals are way more pleasant and intimate with one another in an actual approach. Each time I am going into the pharmacy, I fall in love, as a result of the pharmacist talks to you. Have you ever ever spoken to a pharmacist at CVS? 

Not likely. 

I name my associates each time, going, “I feel the pharmacist has a crush on me.” Nevertheless it’s a phenomenal lifestyle. The smallness of this nation matches me very nicely. 

This interview has been edited and condensed.