'The View' Premieres With New Hosts Rosie O'Donnell, Rosie Perez and Nicolle Wallace

— -- It's a new era for "The View"!

The ABC talk show kicked off a new season with three new co-hosts -- Rosie O'Donnell, Rosie Perez and Nicolle Wallace -- in a new studio in New York City.

"The thing that never changes on 'The View' is it's great conversation with great women," Whoopi Goldberg said at the start of the show. "That is not going to change."

First up to introduce herself was O'Donnell, who was returning to the show after getting married, having a new baby and sending her oldest off to college. Sitting cross-legged and barefoot, she also said that she had lost about 50 pounds after having surgery.

"I'm good. I'm happy," O'Donnell, 52, told the live studio audience. "I had a heart attack two years ago in August and then I had the vertical gastric sleeve. ... It is sort of a last change thing after you tried everything else. ... I feel better."

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Rosie Perez went next, explaining that in addition to joining the talk show, she's also gearing up to star in a new Broadway show alongside Larry David. She also recently married musician Eric Hayes, and is a longtime activist now working as part of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS.

"Life is good," Perez, 50, said. "I could go on and on and on and brag about myself but I usually like other people to praise me, not to praise myself. It's a Latin thing."

Another new face was Nicolle Wallace, 42, who worked in the Bush White House before joining John McCain and Sarah Palin's ill-fated presidential campaign. She's also a novelist and the mother of a 2-year-old son.

"I am a Republican," she declared before O'Donnell, who famously sparred with Republican Elisabeth Hasselbeck, announced, "And I really like her!"

The only remaining panelist from last season was Goldberg, 58, who emerged thinner, having topped out at 217 lbs.

"I'm happy to have a gig and happy to be working with y'all," she said. "[I'm] happy we get to carry on the tradition."