Tatum O’Neal Says Dad Ryan ‘Meant the World’ to Her as She Pays Loving Tribute to the ‘Paper Moon’ Star (Exclusive)

Tatum O’Neal remembers his late father Ryan O’Neal.

“I feel great sadness over my father’s passing,” Tatum told PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. “He meant the world to me. I loved him very much and I know he loved me too. I will miss him forever and feel very lucky that we ended up on such good terms.”

Ryan O’Neal and Tatum O’Neal. Craig Barritt/WireImage

The Little Darlings the actress’ statement came after her brother Patrick O’Neal shared the news of their father’s death on Instagram on Friday.

In his tribute, the 56-year-old sportscaster said the Oscar-nominated actor had “passed away peacefully”, calling him a “Hollywood legend”.

Tribute to celebrities who died in 2023

Tatum and Ryan O’Neal during the filming of ‘Paper Moon’.

Steve Schapiro/Corbis via Getty

Patrick added that while it was “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to say,” Love story the talent had his “loving team by his side supporting him” at the time of his death.

He continued to mourn the loss, calling his father his “hero,” adding, “I looked up to him and he was always bigger than life.”

Earlier this year, Tatum celebrated her father’s 82nd birthday with a touching Instagram picture of herself sitting next to her father.

In the broadcast, the two were leaning on a bed, smiling together They bring bad news the actress was also holding a small dog. “Happy birthday dad I love you,” she wrote in a simple but sweet caption.

The famous father-daughter duo starred in 1973 Paper moon. The film earned Tatum an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, making her the youngest person to win an Oscar at just 10 years old.

The late star is survived by four children: Tatum and Griffin O’Neal, whom he shared with Joanna Moore; Patrick, whom he shared with Leigh Taylor-Young; and Redmond James Fawcett O’Neal, whom he shared with Farrah Fawcett.

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Photo of the O’Neal family. Sean McEnroe/ Instagram

In September 2020, Tatum’s son Sean McEnroe, 36, posted a family photo of him with his grandfather Ryan and his mother, along with his siblings, Kevin, 37, and Emily, 32. In his caption, the middle child of Tatum and her ex-husband, tennis icon John McEnroe, revealed that it was the first time the family had gotten together in 17 years.

“This is one of the most memorable photos in my life. The last time we were all together was on the 30th. Paper moon Anniversary 2003 I could cry tears of gratitude that everyone in this photo is still alive and that we are all reunited after so many years of suffering. The entire west coast is burning, but if the O’Neals can make up, anything is truly possible,” Sean wrote.

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