What We Know About The Complicated Relationship Between Ryan O'Neal And His Son, Griffin

Ryan O'Neal didn't have the best relationship with his eldest son, Griffin O'Neal.

December 8, 2023, proved to be a devastating day for the O'Neal family after the "Love Story" star died at the age of 82. "I feel great sorrow with my father's passing," his daughter Tatum O'Neal told People. "He meant the world to me. I loved him very much and know he loved me too. I'll miss him forever and I feel very lucky that we ended on such good terms." Throughout the first few years of his career, Ryan made a name for himself as a Hollywood hunk thanks to his roles in "Peyton Place" and "Love Story." However, as he grew older, the "Paper Moon" star began to make headlines for his volatile personal life, including his tense relationship with his son, Griffin O'Neal.

In 1983, the two sparked controversy when they got into a physical altercation, resulting in two of Griffin's teeth being knocked out, per UPI. While the two seemingly moved on from the incident, their strained relationship continued, leading up to a 2007 encounter that ended in gun violence and police intervention. 

In 2007, Ryan O'Neal was arrested after allegedly shooting a gun at his son, Griffin O'Neal. According to Reuters, the incident occurred at the "Love Story" star's Malibu home. At the time of his arrest, Ryan was slapped with two charges: assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm. Griffin's wife also sustained injuries to her face. In the end, the charges were dropped due to conflicting evidence. While there was no legal battle between Ryan and Griffin, the shocking interaction permanently fractured their relationship. "I don't have any connection to Griffin at all anymore; I haven't spoken to him since I fired at him. Not at him; into a banister," he revealed to Vanity Fair in 2009.

Griffin echoed similar sentiments during a 2009 interview with Larry King. "I can honestly say my dad has not called me once. He has shown zero remorse for the 22 stitches he put in my wife's face," he said. "And he showed very little remorse for trying to shoot me in the face." Unfortunately, time didn't heal these emotional wounds, with Griffin telling People in 2015 that they were still estranged. "The last time I saw my dad, he shot at me because I was trying to help his son [Redmond] get sober, so I haven't talked to him in nine years," he explained.