Tatum O’Neal says formerly estranged father ‘hated’ her for winning an Academy Award aged 10

Actor is the youngest-ever person to win an Oscar

Tatum O’Neal has spoken out on the former rift between her and her father, Ryan O’Neal, claiming that he “hated” her after her history-making Oscar win.

The father and daughter starred together in the Peter Bogdanovich-directed drama Paper Moon in 1973.

Tatum’s performance as a child being driven cross-country to her aunt’s house by a man of unknown relation to her (Ryan) was hailed as a triumph. Aged 10, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress – a record she still holds, 49 years later.

Despite her win being a remarkable achievement, Tatum, 59, claims that it was a sore point for her father, now 82.

“He loved me, but then hated me, because I won the Academy Award,” she told The Hollywood Reporter of her father.

The article, published on Monday (17 July), notes that Ryan sent Tatum a note of congratulations on her win, but the note went unacknowledged by her mother, the actor Joanna Moore. “Weird s*** happened. It kind of went in the wrong direction to happiness,” Tatum added.

Her father went on to gain Best Actor nominations at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes for his performance in Love Story (1970).

The Independent has reached out to a representative of Ryan O’Neal for comment. He did not respond to The Hollywood Reporter’s requests for comment.

Tatum and Ryan O’Neal have had a long-documented difficult relationship, marked with periods of estrangement. In 2011, they attempted to repair their bond after a 25-year rift on the documentary series Ryan and Tatum: The O’Neals. Since then, their relationship has remained tumultuous.

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Tatum O’Neal and Ryan O’Neal (Getty)

Earlier this month, the Bad News Bears star revealed that, in early 2020, she had a stroke following a near-fatal overdose of prescription drugs.

As she recovered, O’Neal reunited with her father in September 2020 in a meeting organised by her son, Sean. At the time, she was still unable to speak.

In the recent Hollywood Reporter piece, O’Neal spoke about a more recent meeting with her father this year, noting her affection for him despite their difficulties.

“I don’t want him to die,” she told journalist Seth Abramovich. “I love him. I love my dad. I mean, I’ve had a hard life with my dad – but I still love him.”

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