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

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.

Have A Long Successful Career Just Like Tatum O’Neal

Actresses tend to have a very short career in movies. It is only till they are young and look pretty do they manage to get roles in the movies, and as soon as they grow in age, they immediately get replaced by younger actresses. However, there are a few great actresses like TatumO’Neal, who have been able to defy this rule of the movie business, and have continued to do some excellent work in the industry despite their growing age.

Below are a few factors which have helped actresses like Tatum to survive in this highly competitive industry for such a long time:

Knowing When To Change Their Image

When an actress is young, she gets to play lead roles like the lover of the hero of the movie and other central characters. However, when they start to age a little bit, these roles start slipping away from them and get offered to newer and younger actresses. It is very important to recognize when you are being replaced by the younger lot, and accept this decision of the industry and the audience, and make a switch to character roles like playing the sister or the mother of the lead characters in the movie. There are many movies in which these supporting characters have managed to make a deeper impact on the minds of the audience and therefore, if you have the talent in you, you would be able to shine even in these smaller, but very important roles in the movies. Tatum O’Neal did try to continue doing the lead roles even after her time was up, and hence had to face a string of failures, but before things could go out of her hands, she understood the need of the hour and happily changed her image to do more meaningful character roles.

Explore Alternate Entertainment Mediums

Besides movies, there are many other entertainment mediums which can help you in doing good quality work and staying relevant in the industry. When Tatum stopped getting good roles in movies, she explored the world of television. She participated in a few reality shows and then even moved on to do a successful fictional series on television. Her stint on television proved to be a turning point in her career, and through television, she was able to prove that she continues to be a great actress and landed some really good offers in movies once again. Therefore, for long survival in this industry, you need to be open to work in any and all sorts of entertainment mediums like short films, documentary films, theatre, television, etc.

Excellent PR Skills

The movie industry is like a close family, where people gossip about each other, are jealous of each other, but they simply cannot survive without each other. Therefore, when things are going downhill for you, it is only your good contacts in the industry, which can help you in getting a good role in a movie. TatumO’Neal made some very good friends in the industry and it was through the support and strength of these people that she was able to bounce back after every professional and personal crisis in her life and prove herself to be a winner.

Facing Hindrances Like Tatum O’Neal And Becoming a Movie Star

If you think you have the talent to make it big in the industry, and you do not just want to become a star for the fame and glory that comes with it, but are passionate about movies and acting, then there should be nothing in this world that should be able to stop you from pursuing your dream. Big superstars like Tatum O’Neal have had to fight and struggle at every stage of their career in order to prove that they have the talent to entertain the audiences. If these stars are ready to fight all odds to stay in this business, then you should also take inspiration from them and fight all the problems and hindrances that come your way.

Below are a few factors that can be a major problem in your path to becoming a big movie star, and therefore, you should try and stay clear from them:

 

Negative People

There are bound to be many people around you who would have a very negative approach towards your decision to try your luck in the movie business. Many of these people would actually be your well wishers and would be trying to protect you, but if you let all the negativity from these people get into your head, then a few rejections in the movie business will leave you heartbroken. You will lose all your confidence and may even go into depression. Therefore, you need to try to surround yourself with people with a positive attitude, who will support you and encourage you at every step of your struggle in the film industry. Even celebrities like Tatum O’Neal, who were born in filmy families have had to struggle at every point in their career, and had she let the negative people affect her, her career would have ended a long time back.

 Financial Stability

Once you become a big movie star, you would be able to earn huge sums of money. However, money is a very fickle thing and you can never be sure when it would slip out of your hands and land you in huge debts. If you are not getting good movie offers, you can put in all your energy in meeting producers, giving auditions and eventually something would give way, but if you fall in the trap of debts and leans, all your energy would get spent on managing these debts and you would have no time left to concentrate on your career. Therefore, always spend within your means. Tatum O’Neal has been surrounded by many controversies, but money troubles were never one of them and hence, she was able to come out successful after every set back that she received in her career.

Avail Every Opportunity

Many people trying to make it big in the movie business consider working on television or in the theatre below their standard. This is a very wrong approach. Both these are very powerful mediums, and if you manage to do good work there, the chances of you getting noticed and a big break in the movies increase considerably. Tatum ONeal has been doing television for a long time and it proved to be her support system during the times when good movie offers were shrinking for her.

Learning to Stay On Top The Game With Tatum O’Neal

A single big hit movie can turn you into a superstar. However, if you are not able to follow up this big hit of yours with other good movies, your stardom would be lost just as quickly as it was granted to you. There are many names in the history of the movie industry who were touted to be the biggest superstars after their first big hit, but soon these names got lost under the burden of flop films. Only very few actors are able to achieve stardom and retain the same for a very long time. Amongst the select few stars who have managed to crack the code for retaining their star status, TatumO’Neal is one name that shines the brightest.

Working With The Big Names In The Industry

Tatum O’Neal started her career at the tender age of 9. Her first film got released when she was only 10 years of age, and with her very first movie, she became the youngest actress to have ever won the competitive Academy Awards. There must have been no dearth of movie offers that must have come her way after such a big achievement, however, instead of taking on any and every offer that came her way, she made sure that she chooses to work with only the big and talented names in the industry. She patiently waited for the right movies and roles to be offered to her, and accepted only those films, which she believed in.

Doing Television

Television is a very strong and powerful medium. However, there are many movie actors who feel that it is below their level and therefore, do not want to take up work on television shows. There are times in the life of every movie star, when the right movies and roles do not come their way. To retain your star status, you need to stay fresh in the minds of the public and therefore, instead of choosing to do mediocre or bad movies, it is always a better idea to take up some good and interesting work on television. Tatum ONeal did exactly this. When she realized that no good movies or interesting characters were being offered to her in movies, she very gracefully made the switch to television. From reality shows to hosting these shows, she stays prepared to take up any interesting and good work that gets offered to her. Today, even after so many years in the industry, along with doing some interesting work on television, Tatum O’Neal still has a few good movie projects in her kitty.

Staying Relevant

It is very important to change with the times. The taste of the audience keeps changing and for a star to continue to rule the hearts of this audience has to change his or her personality and product offerings. Actors like Tatum O’Neal understand this, and therefore, they easily and gracefully made the switch from playing lead roles in the movies to doing character roles. These actors understand that it is not the length of the role that matters, but the quality and depth of the role and the performance that they put into the same.

Tatum O’Neal Facing Life’s Challenges Like A True Superstar

Success and controversies go hand in hand. The life of all great actors and actresses are plagued by numerous controversies. These controversies are a part of being a star and they just cannot be avoided. However, it is only the true stars who are able to handle these controversies with dignity and come out of them as winners instead of destroying their image. Tatum O’Neal had her fair share of controversies, but in each case, she managed to shine bright and come out looking like a better person.

Personal Life Controversies

Everyone wants to become a movie star, however, not many people understand the hard work and sacrifices that an actor has to make in order to attain and retain that level of stardom and fame. These actors have to spend months at a stretch away from their families. There are times when their families feel neglected and because of this, the connection and the bond between them and their families becomes weak. At some point or the other, all the actors in the industry have faced problems in their family life because of their work. Tatum O’Neal also ended up having some major differences crop up between herself and her father. In fact, it took her a lot of effort and 25 years to bridge the gap that had appeared in her relationship with her father.

Love Life Controversies

The love life of these actors is pretty complicated as well. Every time they work on some new movie, immediately the press and the gossip mongers connect their name with the name of their co-actors. When in a relationship, hearing about your partner’s name been constantly associated with the name of another successful actor, can take its toll on the relationship. The love life of Tatum O’Neal has been quite complicated and publicly discussed as well. Her name was attached with not only her male friends and associates, but even with the females around her. However, the positive and dignified person that she is, she always managed to handle all these controversies in such a manner, that not only her name and reputation stayed intact, but she never even allowed the press to malign the name of the other person.

Real Life Problems Looked Down Upon

When a person in the real world becomes the victim of any criminal act, we tend to sympathize with that person, however, if that person is a big movie star, all we see and hear is gossip. There are many stars who are the unfortunate victims of many criminal acts like molestation, etc. But, instead of giving them our support, we tend to make a public spectacle of their problems, making it very difficult for them to confess to the heinous crime that is happening to them. It is only a brave few stars, like Tatum ONeal, who have the courage to take on, not only those who do wrong with them, but the entire society and its distorted thinking in order to fight and seek justice for themselves.