Cagney & Lacey star Sharon Gless questioned her sexuality after kissing Rosie O'Donnell

She became a lesbian icon as the star of the popular ’80s police drama Cagney & Lacey.

And Sharon Gless revealed she questioned her sexuality after kissing and hitting on Rosie O’Donnell following an appearance together on Queer as Folk in 2005.

The 78-year-old actress wrote in her new book, Apparently There Were Complaints, that she was ‘confused’ after a failed date with the famed comedian.

Gless shared a kissing scene with O’Donnell — who came out as a lesbian just a few years before — on the Showtime series which ran from 2000-2005.

Shortly after their peck, Rosie sent Sharon a bouquet of red roses and a note which red: ‘You’re a good kisser.’

Sharon recalled: ‘I was flattered … It was the first time I’d heard that from a woman. But, then again, it was the first time I’d ever kissed a woman.’

Soon after, the pair went out to dinner and Gless remembered saying: ‘Ro, I love you so much. I mean, do you feel… do you think?’

She added: ‘I didn’t even know what I was expecting. I was obviously confused. Rosie was not.’

O’Donnell was quick to respond: ‘Oh, Glessy, no. Never. You are so straight.’

Gless has been married to Barney Rosenzweig since 1991, and O’Donnell  was with Kelli Carpenter at the time. 

‘I was disappointed and very relieved,’ she admitted. ‘I gave it my best f***ing shot with the No. 1 lesbian on the planet. And she turned me down flat.’  

Cagney & Lacey was a police procedural drama on CBS that ran for seven seasons and featured Sharon and Tyne Daly as New York City detectives. 

Christine Cagney (Sharon) was a tough, single, career-minded woman, while Mary Beth Lacey (Tyne) was a vivacious, married working mother.

For six consecutive years, one of the two lead actresses won the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama (four wins for Tyne, two for Sharon), a winning streak unmatched in any major category by a show.