Devastating Facts About Tatum O’Neal, Neglected Child Star
Tatum O’Neal made cinematic history with her staggering performance in the 1973 film Paper Moon. Many remember her as a shy 10-year-old girl—smiling widely and grasping her golden Oscar. But Tatum O’Neal’s story is far more nuanced than her one day of glory. It is a tale both dark and winding, lying outside the spotlight and illuminating an upbringing that no child should ever endure.
1. She Was Destined For Hollywood
In 1963, Hollywood rejoiced in the birth of a baby girl—Tatum O’Neal—daughter of famous actors Ryan O’Neal and Joanna Moore. Living out a real-life happy ending, the couple welcomed another child, a boy named Griffin, only a year later.
But behind the scenes, the marriage was turbulent. Tempers flared and personalities clashed. Tatum and Griffin found themselves caught in the crossfire.
2. She Was At Her Mother’s Mercy
What began as a fairytale romance between two high-profile celebrities quickly spoiled in the span of four years. By 1967, O’Neal’s parents secured a divorce and her mother had sole custody of both her and Griffin.
But Joanna Moore wasn’t as fit to be a mother as she seemed. Moore was an addict whose actions transformed Tatum O’Neal’s childhood into a living nightmare.
3. She Faced Starvation
Tatum O’Neal watched her mother lose herself to substances and drink. Perhaps most shocking were her accounts of starvation. Both she and Griffin weren’t properly fed or clothed, suffering deeply from their mother’s neglect. She claims that on one harrowing occasion, the two of them—trapped in a garage—resorted to eating dog food in order to stay alive. But the horrors didn’t end there.
4. She Ran Away
O’Neal’s mother never actually “mothered,” and she often left her children unsupervised. They did anything they wanted, sometimes playing with fire and jumping off the roof, other times running away from home.
In her own words, O’Neal recalled, "We went to the bathroom on the floor. We did a lot of crazy things because we didn’t have any guidance at all."
