Rosie O’Donnell reflects on role of nun in ‘And Just Like That’

Rosie O’Donnell is opening up about her unforgettable guest role on And Just Like That…, and she’s clearly still buzzing from the experience. 

In the season 3 premiere of the Sex and the City spinoff, O’Donnell, 63, played Mary—a visiting nun who has her first sexual experience with Miranda, portrayed by Cynthia Nixon.

In a chat with Variety, O’Donnell revealed it was Nixon who first suggested she join the show. 

“I said, ‘Are you kidding me? In a minute!’ I didn’t even have to think about it,” she said. The role wasn’t just a lucky casting moment either—it was written especially for her by showrunner and longtime friend Michael Patrick King. That made it even better for the comedian. 

“I laughed my ass off,” she shared. “I thought, ‘I know how to play this character.’”

Getting to work alongside Nixon made the experience even more special. “I was very, very happy to be doing all my scenes with Cynthia,” O’Donnell admitted. 

Then she added with a laugh, “It was not acting for me. I don’t have to act in love with her, because I’ve been in love with her for many years. I saw her in Wit, on Broadway, and even though I had known her for very many years and was friends with her in a real way, when I went backstage, I was awestruck and couldn’t find my words!”

In the episode, Mary meets Miranda at a bar and the two end up spending the night together. After they sleep together, Mary surprises Miranda by revealing, “it was her first time with anyone,” since she’s a nun.

For O’Donnell, the role was more than just a cameo—it was a playful, heartfelt moment she clearly relished.