Tatum O'Neal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tatum O'Neal
O'Neal in 2019
Born	Tatum Beatrice O'Neal (1963-11-05) November 5, 1963 (age 61) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1973–present
Spouse(s)	John McEnroe ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 1994)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Ryan O'Neal Joanna Moore
Relatives	Griffin O'Neal (brother) Patrick O'Neal (half-brother) Redmond O'Neal (Half-brother)
Awards	Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Paper Moon (1973)

Tatum Beatrice O'Neal (born November 5, 1963) is an American actress. She became famous at a young age for her acting talent. When she was just 10 years old, she won an Academy Award. This made her the youngest person ever to win a competitive Oscar! She won for her role as Addie Loggins in the movie Paper Moon. In this film, she acted alongside her father, Ryan O'Neal.

Tatum O'Neal also starred in other popular movies like The Bad News Bears, Nickelodeon, and Little Darlings. She has also appeared in TV shows such as ... and the City, 8 Simple Rules, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Early Life and Family

Tatum O'Neal was born in Los Angeles, California. Her parents, Ryan O'Neal and Joanna Moore, were both actors. She has a brother named Griffin O'Neal, who was born in 1964. She also has two half-brothers, Patrick and Redmond.

Acting Career

Becoming a Young Star

Tatum O'Neal in 1974, after winning an Academy Award for Paper Moon

Tatum O'Neal won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1974. She also won a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress. Both awards were for her amazing performance in Paper Moon. The movie was released in May 1973. She was only nine years old when she filmed the movie in 1972. In Paper Moon, Tatum played Addie Loggins, a clever young girl who teams up with a trickster during the Great Depression.

After Paper Moon, Tatum O'Neal continued to act in many films. She starred in The Bad News Bears (1976) with Walter Matthau. She also appeared in International Velvet (1978) with Christopher Plummer and Anthony Hopkins. Other notable films include Little Darlings (1980) with Kristy McNichol and Circle of Two (1980) with Richard Burton. She also acted with her father again in Nickelodeon (1976). In 1984, she played Goldilocks in an episode of Faerie Tale Theatre.

Later Acting Roles

In the early 2000s, Tatum O'Neal returned to acting. She made guest appearances in popular TV shows. These included ... and the City, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

From 2005, she had a regular role as Maggie Gavin in the TV series Rescue Me. She played the sister of the main character, Tommy Gavin. In 2006, she joined the second season of ABC's reality show Dancing with the Stars. She danced with professional partner Nick Kosovich.

Tatum O'Neal also appeared in the TV drama Wicked Wicked Games from 2006 to 2007. In 2008, she was in the TV movie Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal. This film was based on a true story. In 2021, she acted in the movie Not to Forget. This film aimed to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease. She acted alongside other famous actors like Karen Grassle and Cloris Leachman.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Tatum O'Neal married tennis player John McEnroe in 1986. They had three children together: Kevin, Sean, and Emily. They later divorced in 1994.

In 2011, Tatum and her father, Ryan O'Neal, began to improve their relationship. Their journey was shown in a TV series called Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals.

Health Challenges

In May 2020, Tatum O'Neal had a serious stroke. She was in a coma for about a month and a half. After waking up, she had to relearn how to speak. She has been working hard to recover since then.

Autobiographies

Tatum O'Neal has written two books about her life. Her first book, A Paper Life, was published in 2004. In 2011, she wrote another book called Found: A Daughter's Journey Home. This book talked about her relationship with her father and her marriage.

Published Works

• A Paper Life. ISBN: 0-06-054097-4.
• Found: A Daughter's Journey Home. ISBN: 978-0062066565

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Tatum O'Neal para niños

• List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees