Tatum O'Neal on Women Who Leave Men for Women

I went on my first date with a woman in the '90s, after I got divorced from my husband. I was in my 30s then and knew that I was interested in women, but I was a little uncomfortable with it—I just couldn't manage it. I remember there was one very boyish girl who liked me a lot, and she was so aggressive that it was too much for me. I experimented with women a lot during that time, but that was when I was in my drug phase, so I don't really count it. I wasn't clean, so I wasn't really clear on what I was doing or what I wanted.

Now I've had a number of years of being present and clear, and that has changed everything in my life. It's changed my relationships with my children, my relationship with work, my relationships with people, my relationship with myself. Now I'm clean and aware and alive and interested in the world, saying, "Dating women is exciting to me, and this is turning me on."

I dated in the heterosexual world up until about four years ago, when I started thinking about dating women—just thinking about it. I was talking to my best friend Tracey Cunningham, the great hair colorist, and there were a couple of pretty girls working in her salon. I was looking at one of them, and I said, "I want to go on a date with her!"

I finally decided to pursue it last year. I went to a Super Bowl party hosted by Wallis Annenberg, right down the street from where I live in L.A., and I saw this hot, beautiful woman in her mid-30s serving drinks. She was kind of tough and sassy. I got her number and I think she called me, or I called her—I can't remember—and we went on a date. We wound up dating for a couple of months, until she wanted it to be serious, but it was too soon for me. Then there was this Actress I flirted with for a little bit, but I think she was with somebody else at the time. More recently I met this adorable girl through another acquaintance, and she and I were talking, FaceTiming and stuff, but she's a little young for me. I'm not going to date so many 30-year-olds because there's not enough life experience. I'm not just interested in sex, you know? There needs to be a little bit more to the relationship. But it's still a whole new world for me. It's exhilarating.

When you start dating women, people try to make it about choice, like you have to decide if you're gay or not. People ask me, "Do you think it's because men were hard on you when you were younger?" Or "Do you think you'll never date another man?" I can't really say for sure, because I haven't been dating women for that long. It's been a while since I dated a man, about two and a half years. In the physical sense, I'm not attracted to men right now at all. I had experiences with women prior to my marriage, and I had experiences after the divorce. But because I was raised in such a tough, masculine, male-oriented environment, it just didn't even seem possible to date women seriously until I hit the determining age of half a century, which is when you figure out what you like and what you don't—or at least I did. I'm not making a decision one way or the other, but I think that there is a softer, more gentle quality about women, and that's what I'm attracted to.

I'm very private and I don't go out much, so dating can be difficult. I don't have one-night stands at all anymore, so unless somebody is meaningful to me, no one comes into my house, nor do I go into theirs. I imagine dating is going to be a bit easier for me now that I've said I like women, though—I've been getting a lot of messages on Instagram and Facebook from so many pretty girls. Which is awesome!

When I started dating women, my children never gave it a second thought. I think my having a man around would probably have been weird for them, having such a strong father. Their father was enough man for them, for all of us. I don't mean that in a bad way; he's just very macho, you know? My son Kevin, who recently wrote an amazing book, has been really supportive, as has my beautiful daughter, Emily, who's an actress. We're very open with each other. Emily and I were recently at an event in New York that was full of very straitlaced people, and she pointed to this photographer and said, "Mom, is that girl your type?" It just made me laugh. I said, "No, no, she's a straight girl, honey."

I'm not sure that I have a type. I don't want to be so superficial to say that I'm looking for someone beautiful, but beauty is inside and out, it really is. She could be a brilliant scientist or a gorgeous model. It could be that my brain is just attracted to her brain. Sometimes I'm attracted to a woman who's tall and skinny because that's what I want to look like. I like women with a sense of self, a sense of strength. A good personality, good perfume. I would say that great style would be a factor. I'm a big believer that style is important, and I have been in love with fashion my entire life. What you wear is who you are, I'm afraid, and I've believed that from the time I wore a tuxedo to the Oscars at age 10. I am very feminine, at the end of the day. I have more girly stuff and more products than anyone else. And I definitely can't be with anybody who's after me for any kind of superficial reason. I've got a keen eye for those types.

Even though I've really dated only three women in my life, all of them have been important to me, and meaningful. They've made me realize that I can be strong enough to pursue what I want without worrying about what people will think. Part of this is about standing up to the structure that men have created in our country. I grew up in a household where my dad's favorite sport was boxing, and I went to a ton of boxing matches where men pummeled each other for money and then ended up with MS or brain damage. There wasn't a lot of women's empowerment in my childhood. Hollywood, just like politics, is still very male-dominated. It's getting better, but we're not there yet—for action heroes, there's one Sandra Bullock to 10 Will Smiths, you know? Women choosing whom they want to sleep with is just a piece of it. I want women to have the best of it—to have bigger voices and run studios and be able to do whatever they want. I want my daughter to have a world where her word is as valid and as meaningful and as important as any man's.

I've never really had any gay women icons—maybe I'll be the next gay icon! What's new for me is figuring out how beautiful and honest women can be with each other and how there's a different closeness than you'll have with any man. I hope I'll inspire women to experiment more and try dating women if they want to. If I can help a little girl who feels trapped to come out—oh, my gosh, that would mean the world to me. There are a lot of people who might be interested in dating someone outside of what is expected for their gender, but there's so much judgment around it from family and friends. Society gives younger women—and men, for that matter—so little choice.

Tatum O'Neal

Tatum O'Neal Wins Supporting Actress: 1974 Oscars

Tips For Becoming A Convincing Actor Like Tatum O’Neal

When an actress like Tatum O’Neal steps on the stage or the silver screen, it almost feels like she owns the same. She always, without fail, manages to steal the show. She is such an amazing actress that she pulls the audiences in her world, and leaves them asking for more. Besides loads of talent, there is a lot of hard work that goes into making an actor of her caliber. There is no fixed formula which you can use for becoming as talented and successful like Miss O’Neal, but there are certain tricks and rules which can definitely help you in increasing the chances of making the most of an opportunity, by allowing you to impress the audiences.

Some of these tricks and tips have been discussed below:

Prepare Well For The Role

Preparation is the key to success. Just like any other field, if you wish to be successful as an actor, you need to make sure that you prepare well for each and every role that comes your way. Tatum O’Neal spends days reading the script again and again, and getting under the skin of her character. She tries to understand the psychology of her character and why it reacts to different situation in the way that it does. After so much of preparation, when the she finally has to face the camera, it is not Miss O’Neal, who stands before the camera, but the character in her flesh.

Believe In Your Role

Not every role that you get offered may be an Oscar winning role, but the mark of a good actor is that no matter how small or insignificant the role may be, it is through their acting that they make the role come alive and become important to the script. Even top actors like Tatum O’Neal have faced situations when she was not getting the main lead roles, and had to settle for small character roles. However, she performed even those side roles with such grace and aplomb that everyone, including the audience and the director of those movies were forced to take notice of her immense talent. 

Don’t Be Embarrassed By Your Character

You may have to play the role of a character that behaves in an irrational manner, or does things which can embarrass you in real life. However, it is important for you to believe in your character and not be embarrassed of what it does. If the character is proud of his or her actions, then you too need to feel proud performing those actions in front of the camera. If you are not sure about the same, practice the same in front of a mirror several times, till you become comfortable performing those antics.

Get Inspired But Do Not Copy

This is a very important tip that every budding actor should keep in mind. It is perfectly fine for you to be impressed by and admire successful actors like Tatum ONeal, and while you can watch them and take acting tips from them, do not try to imitate them. The audience and the directors want to see you on screen, and not your favorite actor. Hence, be yourself when performing.

The Acting Secrets Of Tatum O’Neal Revealed

At any given point of time, there are millions of girls and  boys across the globe who wish to and dream of becoming a super successful movie star. However, being a part of the Hollywood industry is a dream which comes true for only very few people. And even out of these few people who do manage to get a chance to be a part of this industry, there are only a rare few who are actually able to earn the status of being a superstar.

To be successful in this industry, one needs to have the perfect blend of talent and luck. Your luck will get you the right opportunities and your talent will make sure that you make the most of those given opportunities. There are many examples where people have managed to get the right projects and opportunities, but were unable to prove themselves. It is one thing to dream to become like Tatum O ‘Neal, and it is all together a different ball game to actually try to achieve her kind of success in the real world.

Some of the qualities that Tatum O’Neal possesses as an actress, which make her a superstar are as follows:

Understanding Of Her Characters

Every character has its own story and until and unless an actor understands the feelings and emotions that the character is going through, he or she would never be able to emote those feelings to the audience in the right manner. Tatum O’Neal takes a lot of time in understanding each and every character that she has to portray. The reasons behind every action and reaction of the character are first understood by her, and only once she has managed to get under the skin of her character does she go in front of the camera. Once the camera starts to roll, she no longer remains the superstar, but turns into her character for real.

Keeping Them Real

There are many people who believe that in order to convince the audience about something, they need to make grand gestures and give extreme facial expressions for the same. They think that by screaming and shouting they will be able to prove that they are excellent actors. Tatum O’Neal, on the other hand, likes to keep her acting as close to reality as possible. She does not like to act in front of the camera, rather she prefers to react to the lines of her co-stars, that too in a way, in which her character would react in real life. When you watch her on screen, it is almost as if she has actually lived the life of all her characters for real, and is hence able to deliver such convincing performances.

Connecting With The Audiences

At the end of the day, actor act for the audiences. If the audiences do not laugh along with you or cry with you, then you are not a good actor. Tatum ONeal has made sure that through her performances, the audiences always connect with her emotions. Thus, when she cries on screen, the audiences cry with her, and when she laughs, everyone’s happy.

Tatum O’Neal – As Glorious Today As In Her Childhood

If there is any star who continues to be as glorious as she was in the childhood then one name that would prominently come up in mind is that of Tatum O’Neal. Born on the 5th day of November in the year 1963 in Los Angeles in the American State of California she sought to glory with the movie Paper Moon at the age of 10 years only. It was the beginning of the journey to prominence for a future actress and producer that today she happens to be.

Talents Galore Despite Unhappy Early Life

Tatum O’Neal had an unhappy childhood and did not have the smooth sailing experienced by many of her contemporaries in the tender ages. Her strong will power and personality came to the forefront when despite all adversities she was able to pursue her goal and sought to fame with the first movie in which she acted in the Hollywood. She earned an Oscar award for the role in Paper Moon and this brought to light the immense talent levels of the upcoming successful personality.

Stable Despite Ups and Downs

It is not that the acting career and life of Tatum O’Neal was all smooth sailing in her prime time and even in advanced ages. The credit should be given to her for remaining stable all the time because of her powers to fight the odds despite several ups and downs in life. The long career spanning over four decades from 1973 through 2017 she had figured in Wicked Wicked Games in 2006 and in The Bad News Bears that came in 1976 and both were successful. The latest one is the completed feature Rock Paper Dead.

Multiple Appearances as Actress

As an actress; Tatum O’Neal has made multiple appearances including those that were produced by her. It is a pretty long list and the latest movie is Rock Paper Dead of 2017 and latest TV series is Criminal Minds that also came this year. Another TV program that hit the small screen was Assistance is Futile. Prior to these there were Sweet Lorraine in 2015 and She is Funny That Way which came in 2014. Even before that she appeared in Mr Sophistication in 2013 and This is 40 in 2012. A long TV serial was Rescue Me that ran for long 8 years from 2004 till 2011. All these show the sustaining power of Tatum O’Neal and that her flair as a seasoned actress never reduced over the passage of time.

The Torch Bearer of Family Heritage

Acting talents and proficiency in other areas related to it came naturally to Tatum O'Neal. Her parents Ryan O’Neal and Joanna Moore were both established stars in their own rights. It seems acting was in her blood and she refined the talents with her remorseless efforts and dedication to a profession where fluctuations of luck is commonplace.

Tatum O'Neal today is a name in the industry and a source of consistent inspiration for thousands of youngsters trying to find their foothold in the fine arts zone.

Morning Did Really Show The Day For Tatum O’Neal

There is an old proverb that morning shows the day. This virtually means that it is the beginning of anything that indicates what the possible outcome at the end of it could be. It is presumed that if the morning is bright then the day would be bright as well. If the life of someone can be taken as an example to prove this dictum there can be none better than that of Tatum O’Neal. Her illustrious life is one of the best examples of bright beginning that continues to be brighter.

Youngest Oscar Winner

Tatum O’Neal was the youngest winner of the competitive Academy Award at the tender age of 10 years in 1973 for the movie Paper Moon. She was given the award as the best supporting actress. The morning had begun and it was the indication that there would follow a bright and successful aftermath. Over the years she became famous in films as well as in TV shows. She was one of the celebrities born in Westwood in Los Angeles, California.

Always in Search of Good Roles

Tatum O’Neal could be a successful celebrity but her quest for something better never ended. It was there at the beginning of her career and continued till the later stages of the illustrious career. In her own words she always searched for good roles and got her inspiration from the actors in the industry trying real hard irrespective of success or failure. Age was never a factor for her and the quest for betterment was unending from the childhood through ripe ages for her.

Proving the Experts Right

When Tatum O’Neal earned her first award in 1976, many experts predicted that a child prodigy was born. She did not prove them wrong and five decades later is still going strong on her own rights storming the celluloid as well as the idiot box alike. Following the instant hit Paper Moon came up The Bad News in the year 1978 and Little Darling in 1980. Her infrequent appearances on the screen in both areas during the 1980s and 1990s seemed to have eclipsed her career a little. This was also the time when she married the famous tennis star John McEnroe. But she stormed back into action and consequential fame during the beginning of the current millennium and has not looked back since then. She appeared in many movies, shows, and TV programs that shot her into fame with huge popularity.

An Author in Own Rights

Tatum ONeal is an author in her own rights and in the year 2011 she came up with Found: A Daughter’s Journey Home. The narration was interesting and it gave her both critical and commercial success.

During her transition from a kid to an attractive teenager she faced a number of challenges and low amount of success. However it was only a period of temporary eclipse and the Sun emerged again from the shades to glow with full bloom in 2000 and in following years.

Three Attributes That Set Apart Great Actors Like Tatum O’Neal From Other Actors

The mark of a great actor is that he or she is never satisfied with their performance. If they had delivered a good performance, they strive to deliver the excellent performance, if they had delivered an excellent performance, they strive to deliver a performance of a lifetime. They are just never satisfied and always hungry for more. When you look at the career graph of actors like Tatum O’Neal, you can see them and their performance improving with every movie that they did.

 Tatum received an academy award for her very first movie. She could very well have considered herself to be the best actress at that time and stopped making any efforts to improve herself. Had she done that, she would have killed the artist within her, and her career would have ended a long time back. But instead of becoming complacent, she continued to strive to be a better actor, and as a result, she continues to be a big part of the movie and television industry, and is doing some very good, interesting and meaningful roles.

There are three things that set apart regular actors and great actors like Tatum O’Neal:

Perseverance

Whether you are starting your career in the industry, looking for your first break, have won awards for your performances, or established yourself as an actor, you need to continue to have perseverance and the hunger to achieve more. In the movie business, you are remembered only for your last performance. Therefore, at any point in your career, if you deliver a bad movie or performance, no matter how good you were in your earlier movies, you would be immediately written off as a bad actor. At such time, it is only through your perseverance, that you can change your fortunes, get another opportunity to prove your talent to the world and cement your place in the industry.

 Hard Work

The most successful actors are also the hardest working actors. The top actors have to complete multiple projects on time and therefore, there are times when they are working 20 hours a day, for months at a stretch. Even when they are not working, these actors prefer to join various classes, to improve their physical appearance, their acting talents, dancing skills, and other attributes that can help them in becoming better actors. It is only through this hard work and focus that these people are able to maintain their top position in the industry. The moment these people take things easy, someone else immediately overtakes them and grabs their number one position. It is for this precisely for this reason, that even at the age of 53, Tatum ONeal still continues to work extremely hard on her craft and does not take her position in the industry for granted for even a single moment.

Talent

Of course, if you do not have the talent required to be a great actor, then no matter what you do, you will never be able to taste success in this industry. Fortunately, talent can be cultivated, and if you work hard, you can develop your acting skills and become a good actor.