Ryan O'Neal, the iconic actor of the acclaimed film Love Story and other Hollywood hits, died at the age of 82 on December 8. His son, Patrick O'Neal, confirmed the news through Instagram, highlighting the peace with which his father died, surrounded by love and support.
The actor has died leaving behind a great cinematographic legacy, but also a complex family life. Tatum O'Neal, his daughter, was one of the people who suffered the most because of the actor and was labeled as a broken toy due to all the problems she had endured for so long.
Despite this, the actress has expressed deep regret for the loss of her father to People: "He meant the world to me. I loved him very much and I know he meant the world to me too." In addition, she has stressed that, fortunately, they both managed to fix her problems: "I will miss him forever and I feel very lucky that we ended on such good terms."
This is not the first time Tatum has spoken about his father like this. In 2011, in the reality show Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals, the actress said that, despite all her problems, there came a time when she thought about what her life would be like if her father died. That's when he realized he had to forgive: "How would I feel if my father, say, got sick or even died? Would he be okay? And I realized that he wouldn't be okay. So I knew I had to make an effort, because... What is your life without your family? What is your life without a father?
2020 saw a big family reunion that included Tatum's three children. "This is one of the most unforgettable photos of my life. If the O'Neals can reconcile, anything is possible," said Sean McEnroe, one of the actress's children, when he was able to be with his grandfather and mother.
The relationship between Ryan O'Neal and his daughter Tatum was deeply conflictive, marked by the actor's resentment at Tatum's early success in film. The actress, who debuted alongside her father in 1973's Paper Moon, won an Oscar for her performance, becoming the youngest person to receive the award. This achievement created tensions in the family, with Ryan unable to forgive that his ten-year-old daughter won the Oscar before him - he was only nominated in 1970 for her role in Love Story.
Furthermore, Tatum's childhood under Ryan's care was filled with neglect and abuse. In her autobiography, Tatum revealed being sexually abused by a friend of her father and described how Ryan's drug addiction caused irreparable damage to her life. Additionally, Tatum claimed that her father encouraged her to use cocaine to lose weight, which led to addiction - to which Melanie Griffith also contributed.
As if this were not enough, an especially painful episode for Tatum occurred in 2009 during the funeral of Farrah Fawcett, Ryan's third wife, where he did not recognize Tatum and flirted with her without realizing who she was. This incident was admitted by Ryan O'Neal in an interview with Vanity Fair, illustrating the degree of disconnection and problems in their relationship.
