Rosie O'Donnell reveals incredible transformation after 50-lb weight loss and facelift

"I used to feel very strongly about facelifts. Not casually – morally. I had assigned myself as head of all women who would never – ever," she began. 

"I thought it was a betrayal. Of feminism. Of aging. Of our team of women worldwide. And then I lost 50 pounds…" Rosie shared that she saw her face as "melting" rather than just aging, particularly due to her drastic weight loss. 

"I tried to be evolved about it and say things like, 'This is natural. This is earned.' And then… 'Umm how earned does it have to look?'" The comedienne revealed that her youngest child, Clay, opposed the idea and cited Rosie's strong feminist beliefs as the reason why she shouldn't undergo the procedure.

"Then Clay said, 'Young women look up to you,' and finally – with strong effect – 'I wouldn't be able to respect you if you did it.' And that one… landed." Rosie added that Clay's feelings on the matter closely mirrored her own at the same age. 

"What was wild is – she sounded exactly like me," the mother of five continued. "Like my younger, more certain, more morally rigid self had somehow moved into my house and was now judging my face. It really threw me."

Rosie explained that she came to the realization that the facelift was a perfect chance to teach Clay about bodily autonomy. "If I'm teaching clay anything, it can't be that my body belongs to an idea either. Even a good idea. Even feminism."

The Now and Then actress added that she didn't want more plastic surgery, and that she still looked like herself, so much so that her loved ones didn't notice her post-facelift transformation. "I wanted to still be me, just…less haunted," she wrote. "And I do look like me." 

Rosie, who relocated to Ireland in 2025 with Clay, was prescribed the GLP-1 weight loss medication named Mounjaro to control her diabetes, and went on to lose 50 lbs. 

After she shared a snippet of her Substack piece to Instagram, the star received an outpouring of love in the comments, with one fan writing: "You are glowing!" while another added: "That is such a personal decision. Do what makes you feel best."

"You look great and no judgments. If you can afford to do it, why not," said another, while a fourth chimed in: "You're beautiful! Do whatever makes you happy. It's your body."