Roseanne Barr Claims She Was Asked to Guest Star in ‘The Conners’ as ‘a Ghost’

Roseanne Barr is revealing why she turned down an offer to appear on The Conners.

The actress and comedian, 72, claimed in her new documentary, Roseanne is America, that she was asked to guest star on the sitcom after ABC canceled the revival of Roseanne in 2018.

“They called me and asked me if I would like to come back as a guest star,” Barr alleged. “You’re coming back as a ghost.”

The actress continued to express her disbelief at the request. “You’re asking me to come back to the show that you f—— stole from me and killed my ass, and now you want me to show up because you got shit f—— ratings and play a ghost,” she claimed.

Ultimately, Barr turned down the invitation to appear on the Roseanne spinoff, saying, “I’m gonna be bowling that f—— week.”

ABC did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Barr co-created Roseanne, in which she starred as the titular matriarch of the working-class Conner family, with writer and producer Matt Williams. The show, also starring John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert, aired on ABC from 1988 to 1997.

Roseanne was revived decades later for a 10th season, which aired in 2018.

The revival was canceled in 2018 after Barr sent a tweet likening President Barack Obama’s former advisor Valerie Jarrett to an ape. 

“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” President of ABC Entertainment Channing Dungey said in a statement at the time.

ABC ordered The Conners shortly after the cancellation, with several cast members returning. In regards to Barr’s absence, her character was killed off due to an drug overdose. 

“Within three weeks, they revived the show as The Conners, and of course they killed off my character Roseanne in an opioid overdose,” Barr said elsewhere in the documentary. “Which was staggering because Glenn Quinn, who played Becky’s husband, actually died of an opioid overdose.”

The spinoff aired for seven seasons before coming to an end in April 2025.

Roseanne is America, directed by Joel Gilbert, also explores Barr’s upbringing, early years in comedy and Hollywood career. The documentary also touches on the 2018 controversy and Barr’s experience reuniting with her daughter who she placed for adoption when she was born. 

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Roseanne in America is now available to purchase on video on demand.