Russo, Raised by Gays, Applauds Rosie

March 16, 2002 -- When the actress Rene Russo heard Rosie O'Donnell talking about being a gay mother this week, "I wanted to burst into tears," she said.

The first thing Russo did after hearing O'Donnell speak before her own Good Morning America taping this week was to call her mother, who raised her in a household of gay women.

"First of all, I want to say thank you to [O'Donnell]," Russo told ABCNEWS' Charles Gibson on Good Morning America Thursday. "Second, I'd like to say that when I was born — oh, I'm going to cry, but this is for you, Rosie — my dad left, and it was women in my life that were gay that raised me and that helped me and nurtured me.

"I just want to thank Rosie," Russo added. "She's so brave, and this is a surprise. I didn't know. But I came on and I saw her, and she's so passionate … and she's doing so much for the kids. And I just say, you know, 'God bless her.'"

Had to Call Mother

Russo was late coming to the set for an interview to promote her new movie Showtime after she was overcome with the desire to call her mother.

"I just wanted to call my mom to say, 'Look mom, you know, I'm going on national television to say that thank you for all your friends,' because she was just pretty much abandoned and a lot of her friends came and helped her to raise me and my sister," Russo said. "They were so loving and nurturing, and if it weren't for that, I don't know where we'd be."