Tatum Beatrice O'Neal (born November 5, 1963) is an American actress. At the age of 10, she became the
youngest person ever to win a competitive
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
, for her performance as Addie Loggins in ''
Paper Moon'' co-starring her father,
Ryan O'Neal
Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal (April 20, 1941 – December 8, 2023) was an American actor. Born in Los Angeles, he trained as an amateur boxer before beginning a career in acting in 1960.
In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ...
. She later starred in the films ''
The Bad News Bears
''The Bad News Bears'' is a 1976 American sports comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Bill Lancaster. It stars Walter Matthau as an alcoholic ex-baseball pitcher who becomes a coach for a youth baseball team known as the Bear ...
'', ''
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (nicknamed Nick) is an American pay television channel and the flagship property of the Nickelodeon Group, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on April 1, 1979, as the first ca ...
'', and ''
Little Darlings
''Little Darlings'' is a 1980 American teen comedy-drama film starring Tatum O'Neal and Kristy McNichol and featuring Armand Assante and Matt Dillon. It was directed by Ronald F. Maxwell. The screenplay was written by Kimi Peck and Dalen ...
'', and appeared in guest roles in the television series ''
Sex and the City
''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO, based on Sex and the City (newspaper column), the newspaper column and 1996 book by Candace Bushnell. It premiered in th ...
'', ''
8 Simple Rules
''8 Simple Rules'' (originally ''8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter'') is an American television sitcom originally starring John Ritter and Katey Sagal as middle-class parents Paul and Cate Hennessy, raising their three children. ...
'', and ''
Law & Order: Criminal Intent''.
Family background
O'Neal was born in the
Westwood area of Los Angeles, California,
to actors
Ryan O'Neal
Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal (April 20, 1941 – December 8, 2023) was an American actor. Born in Los Angeles, he trained as an amateur boxer before beginning a career in acting in 1960.
In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ...
and
Joanna Moore
Joanna Moore (born Dorothy Joanne Cook; November 10, 1934 – November 22, 1997) was an American film and television actress, who, between 1956 and 1976, appeared in 17 feature films and guest-starred in nearly a hundred television series episod ...
. Her brother,
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...
, was born in 1964. In 1967, her parents divorced
and her father quickly married actress
Leigh Taylor-Young
Leigh Taylor-Young (born January 25, 1945) is an American former actress who has appeared on stage, screen, podcast, radio, and television. Her best-known films include '' I Love You, Alice B. Toklas'' (1968), '' The Horsemen'' (1971), '' The Gan ...
, together having Tatum's half-brother,
Patrick Patrick may refer to:
*Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name
* Patrick (surname), list of people with this name
People
*Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint
* Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick ...
. The two divorced in 1973. Tatum has another half-brother, Redmond, from Ryan O'Neal's relationship with actress
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she played a ...
. O'Neal's mother died of lung cancer at age 63, after a career in which she appeared in such movies as ''
Walk on the Wild Side'' and ''
Follow That Dream
''Follow That Dream'' is a 1962 American musical comedy film made by Mirisch Productions and starring Elvis Presley. The film was based on the 1959 novel '' Pioneer, Go Home!'' by Richard P. Powell. Producer Walter Mirisch liked the film's son ...
''. Her paternal ancestry is Irish, English, and
Ashkenazi Jewish
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...
.
[Profile]
familysearch.org; accessed June 22, 2014.
Career
Young career
On April 2, 1974, at age ten, Tatum O'Neal won the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
and the
Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress
The Golden Globe for New Star of the Year – Actress was an award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at their annual Golden Globe Awards.
History
The award was first introduced at the 5th Golden Globe Awards in 1948 where it was ...
for her performance in ''
Paper Moon,'' released in May 1973.
The youngest ever to win a competitive Academy Award,
she turned nine years old during filming in autumn 1972.
O'Neal played the role of Addie Loggins, a child con artist being tutored by a
Depression-era
grifter played by her father. In her 2010 appearance on ''
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the Drag Race (franchise), ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder (company), World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, ...
'', O'Neal stated that her father had not attended the Academy Awards ceremony with her due to his busy schedule.
O'Neal starred in films such as ''
The Bad News Bears
''The Bad News Bears'' is a 1976 American sports comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Bill Lancaster. It stars Walter Matthau as an alcoholic ex-baseball pitcher who becomes a coach for a youth baseball team known as the Bear ...
'' (1976) with
Walter Matthau
Walter John Matthau ( Matthow; ; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor, known for his "hangdog face" and for playing world-weary characters. He starred in 10 films alongside his real-life friend Jack Lemmon, including '' The Od ...
, ''
International Velvet'' (1978) with
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage and television. His accolades included an Academy Aw ...
and
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor. Considered one of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for List of Anthony Hopkins performances, his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins ha ...
, and ''
Little Darlings
''Little Darlings'' is a 1980 American teen comedy-drama film starring Tatum O'Neal and Kristy McNichol and featuring Armand Assante and Matt Dillon. It was directed by Ronald F. Maxwell. The screenplay was written by Kimi Peck and Dalen ...
'' (1980) with
Kristy McNichol
Christina Ann McNichol (born September 11, 1962) is an American former actress. Beginning her career as a child actress, she rose to fame in 1976 with her portrayal of teenaged daughter Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence in the TV drama ''Family'' for which ...
, and co-starred in ''
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (nicknamed Nick) is an American pay television channel and the flagship property of the Nickelodeon Group, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on April 1, 1979, as the first ca ...
'' (1976) with her father and in ''
Circle of Two'' (1980) with
Richard Burton
Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor.
Noted for his mellifluous baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s and gave a memor ...
.
She was cast in ''
Split Image Split Image may refer to:
* Split-image focusing screen
* ''Split Image'' (album), a 1987 album by Excel
* ''Split Image'' (film), a 1982 film starring James Woods
* ''Split Image'' (novel), a 2010 crime novel by Robert B. Parker
* ''Split Image ...
'' but had to be let go during filming because she was too young (seventeen) for night schools and was replaced by
Karen Allen
Karen Jane Allen (born October 5, 1951) is an American film, television and stage actress. She made her film debut in the comedy film ''Animal House'' (1978), which was soon followed by a small role in Woody Allen's romantic comedy-drama ''Manh ...
. She appeared as the title character in the ''
Faerie Tale Theatre
''Faerie Tale Theatre'' (also known as ''Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre'') is an American award-winning live-action fairytale fantasy drama anthology television series created and presented by actress Shelley Duvall. The series originally ...
'' episode "
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
"Goldilocks and the Three Bears" is a 19th-century English fairy tale of which three versions exist. The original version of the tale tells of an impudent old woman who enters the forest home of three anthropomorphic bachelor bears while th ...
" (1984).
Later career
O'Neal appeared in only five films during the next 15 years, one of them being ''
Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat (; December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist who rose to success during the 1980s as part of the neo-expressionism movement.
Basquiat first achieved notoriety in the late 1970s as part of the graffiti ...
'' (1996) as Cynthia Kruger.
In the early 2000s, O'Neal returned to acting with guest appearances in ''
Sex and the City
''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO, based on Sex and the City (newspaper column), the newspaper column and 1996 book by Candace Bushnell. It premiered in th ...
'', ''
8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter
''8 Simple Rules'' (originally ''8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter'') is an American television sitcom originally starring John Ritter and Katey Sagal as middle-class parents Paul and Cate Hennessy, raising their three children. K ...
'', and ''
Law & Order: Criminal Intent''. In 2005, O'Neal began a recurring role as Maggie Gavin in the firehouse drama series ''
Rescue Me'', portraying the unbalanced and lively sister of
Tommy Gavin
Thomas Michael Gavin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the FX comedy-drama series '' Rescue Me''. He is portrayed by Denis Leary. For his portrayal, Leary was nominated for a Golden Globe Award (2005) and two Emmy Awards (2006 and 2 ...
, played by
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary (born August 18, 1957) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Born in Massachusetts, he first came to prominence as a stand-up comedian, especially through appearances on MTV (including the comedic song " Asshole") and th ...
.
In January 2006, she participated in the second season of
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
's reality series ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Strictly Come Dancing (widely known as Dancing with the Stars)'' is an international television franchise based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing,'' itself a successor to the show ''Come Dancing'' (1950–1998) ...
'' with professional partner
Nick Kosovich. They were eliminated in the second round. She went on to do commentary for the series on ''
Entertainment Tonight
''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Par ...
''.
From 2006 to 2007, she portrayed the vindictive and psychotic Blythe Hunter in the
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV (stylized as mynetworkTV; unofficially abbreviated MNT or MNTV) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its Fox Television Stations ...
drama ''
Wicked Wicked Games
''Wicked Wicked Games'' is a telenovela that debuted on December 6, 2006 on the American television network MyNetworkTV. Twentieth Television produced 62 episodes to air weekdays. The limited-run serial was directed by Terry Cunningham, Dennis ...
''. She appears opposite
Nashawn Kearse and
Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, model, producer and dancer. She gained recognition as the first Black woman to win the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She would later Vanes ...
in the film ''My Brother'' (2007).
In 2008, she appeared in the
Lifetime original film ''
Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal''. The film is based on a true story which took place at
McKinney North High School
McKinney North High School (commonly known as North, McKinney North, or MNHS) is a public secondary school located on 2550 Wilmeth Road in McKinney, Texas, US. The school is part of the McKinney Independent School District. Mckinney North curre ...
in Texas. She portrayed the mother of the
main character
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...
, Brooke Tippit, and became close friends with the character's actress,
Ashley Benson
Ashley Victoria Benson (born December 18, 1989) is an American actress and singer. Her accolades include four Teen Choice Awards, a Young Hollywood Award, as well as three People's Choice Award nominations.
Benson began her career as a compet ...
, whom she mentored in acting.
In 2021, O'Neal appeared in the film ''
Not to Forget'', which aimed to raise awareness and funds for the fight against
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
. The movie, directed by Valerio Zanoli, stars
Karen Grassle
Karen Grassle ( ; born February 25, 1942) is an American actress, known for her role as Caroline Ingalls in the NBC television drama series ''Little House on the Prairie''.
Early life
Karen Grassle was born in northern California and moved to ...
and five Academy Award winners: O'Neal,
Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She received many accolades including 22 Primetime Emmy nominations and won eight, tying Julia Louis-Dreyfus ...
,
Louis Gossett Jr.
Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American actor. He made his stage debut at the age of 17. Shortly thereafter, he successfully auditioned for the Broadway theatre, Broadway play ''Take a Giant Step.'' Gossett co ...
,
George Chakiris
George Chakiris (born September 16, 1932) is an American actor and dancer. He is best known for his appearance in the 1961 film version of ''West Side Story'' as Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks gang, for which he won both the Academy Award fo ...
, and
Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis (June 20, 1931 – May 1, 2021) was an American actress. She performed in more than 130 stage productions, in some 60 films, and in approximately 50 television series. Best known as a screen actress, she started her career in the ...
.
Personal life
Family and romantic relationships
One of O'Neal's first reported relationships was with singer
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
in the late 1970s. In a
2002 interview with
Martin Bashir
Martin Henry Bashir (born 19 January 1963) is a British former journalist. He was a presenter on British and American television and for the BBC's '' Panorama'' programme, for which he gained an interview with Diana, Princess of Wales under fal ...
, Jackson said that O'Neal tried to seduce him, but he was terrified by the idea of sex. O'Neal adamantly denied all of Jackson's claims in her 2004 autobiography and stated that her relationship with Jackson was
platonic.
O'Neal's relationship with tennis player
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe Jr. (born February 16, 1959) is an American former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the world No. 1 in men's List of ATP number 1 ranked singles players, singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) ...
began in 1984 when she moved into his
Central Park West
Eighth Avenue is a major north–south avenue on the west side of Manhattan in New York City, carrying northbound traffic below 59th Street. It is one of the original avenues of the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 to run the length of Manhattan, ...
apartment in New York City. They married in 1986.
The couple have three children: Kevin, Sean and Emily.
They separated in 1992 and were divorced in 1994.
Following the divorce, O'Neal's drug problems reemerged and she developed an addiction to heroin. As a result, McEnroe obtained custody of the children in 1998.
In 2011, Tatum and her father began to restore their relationship after 25 years. Their reunion and reconciliation process was captured in the short-lived
Oprah Winfrey Network
The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN, also known as the OWN Network) is an American multinational basic cable television network which launched on January 1, 2011, effectively replacing the Discovery Health Channel, which one month later merged with ...
series ''
Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals''. In 2015, she said she had begun dating women, while choosing not to identify herself as homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual, saying, "I'm not one or the other."
Arrest
On June 1, 2008, O'Neal was arrested for buying
crack cocaine
Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be Smoking, smoked. Crack offers a short, intense Euphoria (emotion), high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Sub ...
near her Manhattan apartment building.
When police searched her, they allegedly found two bags of drugs—one of crack cocaine, one of powder cocaine—and an unused crack pipe.
She was charged with a
misdemeanor
A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than admi ...
criminal possession of a controlled substance. Authorities released her without bail.
On July 2, 2008, O'Neal pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in connection with the arrest and agreed to spend two half-day sessions in a drug treatment program.
Stroke
In May 2020, O’Neal suffered a massive stroke caused by a prescription drug overdose. She was discovered unconscious by a friend, and the stroke left her in a coma for a month and a half. When she reawakened, she could not remember how to speak. She has since struggled to relearn everything.
Autobiographies
In her 2004 autobiography, ''A Paper Life'', O'Neal alleged that she was
molested
Sexual abuse or sex abuse is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using physical force, or by taking advantage of another. It often consists of a persistent pattern of sexual assaults. The offender is re ...
by her father's drug dealer when she was 12. She also alleges physical and
emotional abuse
Emotions are physical and mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is no scientific consensus on a definit ...
by her father, much of which she attributed to drug use. She also detailed her heroin addiction and its effects on her relationship with her children. Her father denied the allegations.
In a prepared statement, Ryan O'Neal said: "It is a sad day when malicious lies are told in order to become a 'bestseller.
In 2011, O'Neal wrote a new collection of memoirs, ''Found: A Daughter's Journey Home'', which dealt with her tempestuous relationship with her father, volatile marriage to McEnroe, and recent drug arrest.
Published works
''A Paper Life'' .
''Found: A Daughter's Journey Home''
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
*
List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees
This is a list of oldest and youngest Academy Awards, Academy Award winners and nominees in the award categories.
This list is based on "statistics valid through the nomination announcement for the 88th Academy Awards, announced on January 14, 2 ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneal, Tatum
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from Los Angeles
American child actresses
American film actresses
American people of English descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of Jewish descent
American television actresses
Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners
Living people
American LGBTQ actresses
LGBTQ memoirists
LGBTQ people from California
New Star of the Year (Actress) Golden Globe winners
David di Donatello winners
American women memoirists
American memoirists
1963 births
Participants in American reality television series