Tatum O’Neal rips father Ryan O’Neal after he cut her out of will: ‘Keep it’

Tatum O’Neal recently reacted to being cut out of her late father Ryan O’Neal’s will, responding with a blunt and scathing remark. Their father-daughter relationship was famously tumultuous, marked by alleged emotional and physical abuse, jealousy, and long periods of estrangement. Tatum revealed she only learned of her disinheritance after Ryan’s passing in 2023 and speculated that her father excluded her because of her 2004 memoir A Paper Life, in which she detailed his violent temper and struggles with addiction. Ryan had publicly denied the allegations, attributing Tatum’s claims to her own battles with substance abuse.

Their relationship began to sour after Tatum’s early success in Paper Moon, where at just 10 years old, she became the youngest person to win an Academy Award. Ryan, reportedly jealous of her rising fame, became increasingly controlling and critical of her acting, contributing to her declining confidence and career struggles. Their estrangement lasted for decades, punctuated by failed reconciliation attempts, including their 2011 reality show Ryan and Tatum: The O’Neals. Meanwhile, Tatum endured her own challenges with addiction, a troubled marriage to tennis star John McEnroe, and a near-fatal overdose in 2020 that left her with lasting health issues.

Despite her ongoing financial and health struggles, Tatum expressed a newfound sense of freedom following Ryan’s death, feeling she is finally able to exist outside his shadow. Her son, Kevin McEnroe, is developing a documentary about her life, hoping it will provide both closure and financial support for her recovery. While Tatum continues to battle sobriety and the lingering effects of her stroke, she remains hopeful about the future, embracing the idea that being “just Tatum” is finally enough.

For more information see Ashley Hume “Tatum O’Neal rips father Ryan O’Neal after he cut her out of will: ‘Keep it’“, Fox News, February 28, 2025.