Tatum O'Neal Speaks Out on Father-Brother Bust

Actress says she loves her father and half-brother in wake of arrests; warns of dangers of addiction

By Gina Serpe Sep 18, 2008 6:30 PMTags
Tatum O'Neal, Ryan O'Neal Brad Barket/Getty Images; Michael Bezjian/Getty Images

When it comes to Ryan and Redmond O'Neal's Wednesday drug bust, Tatum O'Neal has not only been there and done that, she apparently has some life lessons to hand down.

"Addiction, if untreated, can lead to jail, institutions and death," the 44-year-old Oscar winner said of her father and half-brother's arrests at their Malibu home on felonly possession of what officials believe to be methamphetamine.

"I love them both and I am sorry to hear about this."

Tatum knows from public downfalls.

It was Tatum who providing the family's drama in June, after she was arrested and briefly jailed for attempting to buy cocaine on a New York City street.

Last week, the actress appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show  to say she planned on making herself of service to other addicts—something she may now be able to do sooner, and closer to home, than she thought.

Despite the fact that drugs have demonized her family, she wasn't ready to point fingers.

"It's not about my father or career or ex-husband or anything like that," she said of her addiction. "It's me."

Ryan and Redmond O'Neal were taken into custody Wednesday morning after a standard probation search of their Malibu pad uncovered the suspected drugs.

The 67-year-old Love Story star and his 23-year-old son have yet to comment on their arrest. They were released on $10,000 bond apiece and are due in court Nov. 13.