Rosie O’Donnell has opened up about her unlikely friendship with Lyle Menendez, one of the two brothers convicted in the 1989 murders of their parents. In a recent interview, the actress and former talk show host reflected on how this connection began nearly 30 years ago and evolved into a meaningful bond.

Back in 1996, O’Donnell appeared on *Larry King Live*, where she expressed her belief that the Menendez brothers acted in self-defense due to the alleged abuse they suffered at home.

That moment led Lyle to send her a heartfelt letter, thanking her for supporting their side of the story. Although she didn’t reply at the time, O’Donnell says the message stayed with her.

Years later, after watching a documentary about the case in 2022, O’Donnell started speaking about it again—this time on TikTok.

That led to a reconnection when Lyle’s then-wife reached out, and the two eventually began speaking regularly. O’Donnell shared that their conversations became deeply personal, and for the first time in her life, she felt safe enough to trust and emotionally connect with a straight man.

“He would tell me about his life, what he’s been doing in prison,” she said, describing the emotional depth of their conversations. O’Donnell has even visited him behind bars and continues to stand by her belief that the brothers were acting out of fear and trauma.

Today, she remains a strong voice advocating for their story to be seen in a different light.