Kelly Osbourne Gets Incredibly Candid at 40: 'My Baby Saved Me'

Kelly Osbourne is feeling herself. “Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I don’t think I look my age,” Osbourne, who turned 40 on Sunday, October 27, shared in the latest issue of Us Weekly. She’s right: It’s hard to believe it’s been 22 years since she entered our living rooms — along with her famously outrageous family — in the groundbreaking MTV reality series The Osbournes. Despite appearances, she’s certainly lived a lot of life over the past two-plus decades, battling addiction, mental health issues and body shaming, both from the media and her own inner voice.

Osbourne’s milestone has inspired a lot of reflection. She tells Us everything she’s been through has made her who she is today. “I am just so grateful for every mistake I made, for every lesson learned, for all of it. I have such an incredible life.” In 2020, she revealed she’d lost 85 pounds after undergoing gastric bypass surgery two years earlier, and she’s been sober since 2021. But Osbourne says nothing has changed her as much as motherhood. “I truly believe my baby saved me and made me a whole human,” she says of welcoming son Sidney, who turns 2 on November 6, with her partner, Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson, 47. “I don’t think I knew what love was before having a baby.”

Osbourne sat down with Us at the W Hotel in Hollywood to talk more about her exciting next chapter, people’s misconceptions of growing up with famous parents — “If you spent five minutes in my shoes, you couldn’t cut it,” she says — and her biggest regrets.

How do you feel about turning 40?

It’s like a 50-50 for me. Half of me is excited and ready for it, and the other half is still holding on to my adolescent behavior. It’s a bit like, “Whoa. What’s going on?” You’re really an adult now.

You’ve made so much progress.

My life has come very, very far. What could I possibly complain about? I work, I have an incredible partner and an unbelievable baby who has completely changed me.

How is life different since welcoming your son, Sidney?

I don’t remember life before having the baby because everything has changed. I didn’t realize just how powerful the feeling of love was [going to be] when you have the baby. It’s the most … addictive feeling I have ever felt. You realize in that one second, “You’ve given me purpose like nothing has ever given me before.” I don’t think I had purpose. I went from thing to thing to thing, and this level of self-hate and self-doubt that I used to have would just take me out.

Would you say he came at the right time?

I don’t believe God would’ve given me a baby during a time when I wasn’t mentally or physically prepared for it. [When] I was still actively drinking, still actively using … I would’ve been a terrible mother. I wasn’t selfless enough. I’m so glad it happened when I was a little older and I had my s–t together.

Do you feel like you have a new outlook on life now?

Turning 40 is the opportunity to be the real me and say goodbye to all of the past. I get to start again. I used to carry around the shame of being an addict everywhere with me, and it was a heavy burden to bear.

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Really?

You feel like such a loser when you’re in it. I never did drugs because I wanted to party. I did drugs because I wanted to numb myself. I hated who I was. I felt so uncomfortable and not worthy of anything that happened to me.

Was there a time you didn’t think you’d make it to 40?

Of course. There was a time where everyone around me was dying and ODing or something horrible. I got survivor’s guilt because I was like, “Well, why have they spared me?” It wasn’t until I turned about 33 that I sat back and was like, “I need to work on me. I need to figure this out because it will be me next.” There are only three places you end up when you’re an addict: jails, institutions or death. I was really f—king lucky that I only ended up in the institutions.

You’ve been open over the years about your struggles with body image. Where are you with that?

I didn’t used to be able to look at myself in the mirror. I was the kind of girl who showered with the lights off because I didn’t want to look at my body. I don’t feel that way [anymore]. I’m really content with how I look — although everybody thinks I’ve had f—ing plastic surgery!

And you’ve had none?

I’ve had Botox. I’ve always been really honest about what I’ve done and haven’t done. I’ll do injections all day long, but I’ve never done filler. Everyone’s like, “You’ve done too much to your face,” and I’m like, “Actually, underneath all that fat, I was actually all right looking.” My face changed shape when I lost weight.

Would you be open to a little nip or tuck as you get older?

Oh my God, I’m already there. There are certain things, like I don’t want a flicky neck, so I’ll get that cleaned up. I don’t want jowls, which I feel like I’m starting to get. There’s a way to do it gracefully. I don’t wanna change my face. I want to get my t-ts done. They look droopy and saggy, but I’m too scared. I’m already in pain, and what if it goes wrong?

Does it bother you when people pick apart your appearance?

I tune the noise out. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. If they think I’ve had plastic surgery, then I must be looking good! But the three-letter words get you, like when someone calls you fat or when everyone’s like, “She’s on Ozempic.” I’ve never done Ozempic! I had my stomach stapled, so get the story right.

Why do you think people believe you’ve taken it?

Because it’s really hard for people to look at somebody knowing how hard it is to lose weight, and when someone does it, people get a bit like, “Well f–k her. Who does she think she is now?”

What are your thoughts on Ozempic?

When you look at the medical benefits of somebody who has a weight problem, it’s incredible. But I do think that in the wrong hands, it can be a little dangerous.

How are you maintaining your weight loss? Do you work out?

I don’t think about my weight right now. I don’t work out, but I walk. It’s about making the healthiest choice in that moment, and sometimes I don’t make the healthy choice. But if I fall off, I get right back on again.

Why did you want to lose weight?

I didn’t like the way I looked. I was tired of being a bit fat, and I wanted to be a jeans and T-shirt girl. You can just put a pair of jeans and a T-shirt on and look good. I got to become that girl and it’s great. I love it. I’m really proud of my weight loss journey and where I’m at now. It’s not easy. I wish I would’ve done the surgery sooner.

What about your diet?

If people saw how I actually eat, they’d be like, “Oh my God, she’s insane.” [Laughs] Some days, I just live off chocolate and cookies. Food is a struggle for me, and that will never go away. I have all the -isms: the food-isms, the drug-isms, the alcohol-isms, the mental health-isms.

Are you closer to self-acceptance?

I have such a strong sense of self now. I don’t want to be the prettiest girl in the room, I don’t want to be the smartest or the funniest or the loudest. I just want to be my weird self, and learning to love that weird self was a f—ing journey that took me to the gates of hell and back again.

How did you get to where you are now?

Honestly, it was a lot of therapy. I had a psychological diagnosis that I didn’t know I was walking around with; I didn’t realize how much my OCD was taking over my life and how much depression and anxiety played into it.

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You grew up as Hollywood royalty with your parents, Ozzy and Sharon. What were the drawbacks to that?

The downside is that you have access to everything, and a child should not have access to everything. My parents did the best that they could to shield us and educate us on drugs and safe sex. They really went in on teaching us, like, “Don’t do this. This will kill you.”

Who do you stay in touch with from your early fame days?

I hang out the most with Paris [Hilton]. She’s the best. She’s a unicorn. There’s nobody that has ever been like her, and there’s nobody that ever will be like her.

Paris is another one who seems like she was misunderstood.

It’s [because outsiders] don’t understand the life. They think, “Why do you have that when you haven’t done anything?”

Are there any misconceptions about you that bother you?

When people think that my life has been easy. They see me as silver spoon-fed and [that] everything was handed to me because of who my parents are. And in some cases, I won’t lie, that did happen. But in most, I had to fight hard because I wasn’t the skinny, beautiful ingénue. I was the awkward, chubby anarchist, and that’s not for everyone. When it comes to work, I still have to really prove myself before I get a job.

That’s still the case?

It’s gotten easier. When people don’t like something I’ve done, it doesn’t offend me. All I want to know is, “What would you like to see?” Show me how I can do that better, and then we move on.

What’s it like watching The Osbournes after all these years?

I’ve only just watched [it] for the first time. And I’ve only gotten through season 2, I think.

Why did it take so long?

It’s horrible to watch yourself on TV. I don’t care what anyone says. You’re like, “Oh my God, I have a double chin there.” You’ll find everything wrong with yourself. What was even harder was that I was struggling so much with my identity on top of my mom having cancer and my dad being active in his addictions. It was quite difficult, [but] going back and seeing the footage, I was like, “I f–king wish I realized just how cool everything was and I didn’t think I was worthless.” That really is a regret, because it was such an incredible time.

Do you see the show as a blessing or a curse?

A blessing. I love that people come up to me and think they know me and feel comfortable enough to say certain things. It means that they relate to you.

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You and your brother, Jack, come off pretty down-to-earth!

My parents always taught me: You meet the same people on the way up as you do on the way down. I’ve never behaved like a “celebrity” before. I know a lot [who do]. That is a make-or-break for me with my celebrity friends if they behave like a celebrity.

What bad behavior have you seen?

I’ve seen celebrities click their fingers at people. I’ve seen celebrities see another girl in the room who has a better outfit on and then trip and fall and spill a drink on them. Like mean girl s–t. This is a bit of tea [from my time on Fashion Police]: Lupita Nyong’o was meant to be dressed by a designer. I’m not saying who. One of the actresses who that designer was also dressing had her dress pulled from her because she wanted to be the only one wearing that designer. This is the story that we were told at Fashion Police — last minute, [Lupita] went shopping and bought a dress, and it ended up being best dressed.

Tell Us more about Fashion Police. 


The best job I’ve ever had was working with Joan and Melissa Rivers. Joan and I loved each other. She became my mentor, my best friend. We spoke every day, and that was a huge, huge loss for me. I finally became myself on Fashion Police.

Do you think Joan helped with bringing out your confidence?

I credit Joan for all of that. Therapy and Joan Rivers!

Could Fashion Police exist today?

There’s no world in which Fashion Police could exist today. We handle things differently now. There’s no such thing as tongue-in-cheek, and there’s no such thing as a sense of humor, and people get offended very easily. But it was just my opinion of an outfit. It wasn’t a character assassination. Most celebrities want people talking about them. That’s why they put the stupid outfit on.

Would you ever do another reality show?

Since I’ve been posting more on my Instagram of me and my whole family, I’ve had a lot of interest in doing a reality show. We talked about it and were like, “If the offer was right, we would do it.”

The whole fam?

No, just my [immediate] family. Logistically it would be a nightmare getting us all together.

Would anything be off-limits?

My dad’s medical information. [Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019.] I know what to keep to myself now, whereas before I didn’t.

How is he doing?

Parkinson’s is really tricky. We don’t know good days from bad days until you’re in it. We didn’t even know if we were gonna get to Ohio for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [the “Crazy Train” singer was inducted on October 19]. He got medically cleared for the flight [that day], so we didn’t know if we were going until the day of. He was amazing all weekend and he was so happy to see everyone and so moved and touched and honored by the whole experience.

It’s difficult to see our parents get older.

All of a sudden, you realize, “Oh, they’re fragile, and they’re a little lost and now it’s my job to show them the way.” My biggest fear is losing a member of my family, because we are so close that we are nothing without the other.

Do you ever wish your mom and dad had been more strict when you were young?

They tried to be strict with us, but there was no getting through to us. I take full responsibility for all of that.

Are there things you won’t let Sidney do when he’s older?

I’m not letting my son go out to clubs at 15.

How would you feel if he came home with a crazy hairstyle or clothes as a teen?

I’d fully embrace it like my mom did with me. She’d be honest and say, “You’re looking a little butch,” or “This is quite a severe look.” But she let me be me.

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Who’s the most outrageous Osbourne?

My dad’s a wild man, but my mother is the most outrageous Osbourne. You never want to cross my mother.

What was it like growing up in your dad’s shadow?

It was good and bad. If I were to stand in anyone’s shadow, you best believe it will always be his. But that’s why I quit doing music, because I didn’t like the comparison to my dad. It’s one of my biggest regrets, but it led me to amazing other things like Fashion Police.

I love my dad more than anything in the world. I’m so proud of him and everything he’s facing and all the challenges that come his way and how he just seems to get through it every single time. There’s no one like him. He truly is an iron man.

How did your mom and dad support you during hard times?

My parents have been fighting in my corner for my entire life. They fought harder for me than I fought for myself at points. They are the best cheerleaders anybody could ever ask for, so supportive, and they gave me the best gift that anyone’s ever given me, and that was sending me to treatment in Austin, Texas, to get to the root of all of my problems. I went to a place called Driftwood. It completely changed my life.

Did you experience a rock bottom moment before getting help?

There was a definite pivotal moment that I am not ready to talk about. Something did happen, and I was like, “OK. This is it.” I’m glad it happened; I just carry a lot of guilt about it.

Where are you with your sobriety now?

It’s a rocky road for me. Most days are great, but every now and then, I’ll get one really bad day where it’s hard to pull myself out. My natural habitual instinct is to numb myself because then I don’t have to feel the pain and I don’t have to feel unworthy. I can just hibernate. But you can’t do that when you have a baby. You absolutely cannot. Finding other ways of getting through those hard days can be difficult sometimes.

How do you get through them?

Medication. [It] saved my life.

What’s your advice for anyone struggling with mental health or addiction issues?

If you fall down, get back up again.

You just sold your apartment. What’s next for your family?

We’re going to get a bigger house; we’re just trying to figure out where. Do we want to be close to the studio? Or do we want to go back to England? My son is going to go to school in England. The school system is a bit different in the U.K., and I like the idea of uniforms. I like the idea of no guns [in] schools.

Your parents have been wanting to move back to the U.K. as well. Would you ever live with them again?

Oh God, of course. When I was pregnant, I lived with my parents. I had the most fun nine months. I was with my dad all day, every day.

Do you and Sid want more kids? Marriage?

I definitely want more babies! I found my guy. We don’t need the certificate. But I know Sid really wants to get married, so we will get married. It’s not as important to me. I’ve worn so many beautiful dresses and had so many moments that have been just about me, so that whole idea of a big day isn’t as important to me.

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Did you ever think you’d wind up settling down with a rock star?

Never in a million f—-ing years did I think I’d end up with a rock star partner, but I did. We’ve known each other for 25 years.

Sid got hurt in August after a bonfire exploded while he was working on your Iowa farm. Is he OK?

He’s doing good! I think his ego is burnt more than anything because it was really stupid.

Work-wise, what’s on the horizon?

I’ve got a new show coming out next year on Fox and a bunch of exciting things in the pipeline. I want to pick up where I left off with my clothing line. I want to come out with a line of nonalcoholic champagne that tastes nice. I’m really into the idea of creating businesses now — my own companies — because I’ve carved out my own little world, and I might as well take advantage of it.

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