Tatum O’Neal Mourns Father Ryan O’Neal: ‘I Loved Him Very Much’
Tatum O’Neal has shared both grief and gratitude following the death of her father, Love Story and Bones actor Ryan O’Neal.
“I feel great sorrow with my father’s passing,” Tatum told People after Ryan died at age 82 on Friday. “He meant the world to me. I loved him very much and know he loved me, too. I’ll miss him forever, and I feel very lucky that we ended on such good terms.”
In her Instagram Stories on Saturday, the 60-year-old shared photos and a video clip of her famous father.
Tatum followed Ryan into showbiz at a young age, sharing the big screen with him in 1973’s Paper Moon, pictured below — for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role — as well as 1976’s Nickelodeon and 1981’s Obsession. Tatum went on to guest-star in episodes of Sex and the City, 8 Simple Rules, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Rescue Me, and Criminal Minds.
Ryan and Tatum O’Neal in Paper Moon (Credit: Everett Collection)
Ryan, on the other hand, earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in the 1970 film Love Story and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Paper Moon. He’ll also be remembered for his roles in the films What’s Up, Doc?, Barry Lyndon, A Bridge Too Far, and The Driver.
On television, Ryan starred as Rodney Harrington on the ABC soap Peyton Place in the 1960s and recurred as Max Keenan on the Fox procedural Bones between 2016 and 2017.
Patrick O’Neal, Ryan’s sportscaster son, announced the actor’s death on Instagram on Friday. “So this is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to say, but here we go,” he wrote. “My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side, supporting him and loving him as he would us.”
In the post, Patrick also said that he “[had] always been [his] hero” and “was always bigger than life.”
Patrick added: “He is a Hollywood legend. Full stop.”
