Tatum O’Neal, an American actress and the youngest Academy Award winner in history, has had a career filled with triumphs and struggles. With a net worth of approximately $1.5 million, she has made a name for herself in Hollywood through her remarkable performances in films and television. However, her personal life has been equally eventful, marked by challenges including substance abuse and tumultuous relationships.
Early Life and Family
Tatum Beatrice O’Neal was born on November 5, 1963, in Los Angeles, California, to actors Ryan O’Neal and Joanna Moore. Despite her early exposure to Hollywood through her famous parents, her childhood was far from glamorous. Her parents divorced in 1967, and her mother lost custody of Tatum and her brother, Griffin, in 1970 due to substance abuse issues. In her autobiography A Paper Life, Tatum revealed the hardships she endured, including being abandoned and subjected to abuse by men in her mother’s life. She also alleged that her father was physically and emotionally abusive, which led to their strained relationship for decades.
Tatum has two younger half-brothers, Patrick O’Neal (from Ryan O’Neal’s marriage to Leigh Taylor-Young) and Redmond O’Neal (from his relationship with actress Farrah Fawcett). Despite her tumultuous family life, Tatum was able to channel her experiences into her acting career, which took off at an early age.
Hollywood Stardom and Breaking Records
Tatum O’Neal’s acting debut was nothing short of historic. She starred alongside her father in Paper Moon (1973) as Addie Loggins, a sharp-witted con artist. Her performance won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at just 10 years old, making her the youngest actor ever to win a competitive Oscar—a record that still stands today. This milestone catapulted her to stardom and set the foundation for a promising career.
Following her Oscar win, Tatum starred in several successful films, including The Bad News Bears (1976), where she played Amanda Whurlitzer, a tough, talented young pitcher. At the height of her success, she was the highest-paid child actor in Hollywood, reportedly earning $350,000 plus 9% of net profits for The Bad News Bears. She continued with roles in International Velvet (1978), Circle of Two (1982), and Certain Fury (1985), among others.
Career in Television and Later Films
While her early film career was a massive success, her transition into adult roles proved more challenging. She took on sporadic roles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including appearances in Faerie Tale Theatre (1984) and CBS Schoolbreak Special (1989). She later starred in the TV movie Woman on the Run: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story (1993) and had roles in Basquiat (1996) and Little Noises (1992).
Tatum made a television comeback in the 2000s, with notable roles in Sex and the City (2003), 8 Simple Rules (2004), and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2004). Her most significant TV role came as Maggie Gavin on Rescue Me (2005–2011), where she portrayed the sister of Denis Leary’s character. She also starred in Wicked Wicked Games (2006–2007), appearing in 49 episodes.
Her later film credits include The Runaways (2010), Saving Grace B. Jones (2008), This Is 40 (2012), and God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness (2018). In 2019, she starred in Not To Forget, a film dedicated to raising awareness for Alzheimer’s, with part of its profits going to charity.
Personal Life and Struggles
Tatum O’Neal’s personal life has been widely publicized, often overshadowing her career achievements. She was rumored to have dated Michael Jackson in the late 1970s. Jackson once called her his first love, though O’Neal later denied any romantic involvement beyond a friendship.
In 1984, she began a relationship with tennis star John McEnroe, whom she married in 1986. The couple had three children: Kevin (born 1986), Sean (born 1987), and Emily (born 1991). However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1994, and in 1998, McEnroe was granted custody of their children due to O’Neal’s heroin addiction.
Her struggles with substance abuse led to multiple legal troubles, including a 2008 arrest in New York for attempting to buy crack cocaine. She later pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and entered a drug treatment program. Her battle with addiction was further documented in her books, A Paper Life (2004) and Found: A Daughter’s Journey Home (2011), in which she detailed her journey toward recovery and her difficult relationship with her father.
Tatum and Ryan O’Neal were estranged for 25 years before attempting a reconciliation, which was documented in the 2011 OWN series Ryan and Tatum: The O’Neals. However, their relationship remained strained. In October 2020, Tatum was placed on psychiatric hold after an incident where she allegedly threatened to jump off a balcony in Los Angeles, highlighting her ongoing mental health challenges.
In 2015, she revealed that she had started dating women, stating in an interview that she found women to be more compassionate and intelligent than many men she had encountered.
Awards and Legacy
Despite her struggles, Tatum O’Neal remains a Hollywood legend. Her groundbreaking Oscar win for Paper Moon remains an unmatched achievement in the industry. She has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe and a David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Actress. In 2008, she was nominated for a Prism Award for her performance in Rescue Me.
While her personal life has been marked by challenges, O’Neal’s contributions to film and television are undeniable. She continues to be an inspiration to young actors and a testament to the complexities of child stardom in Hollywood.