Ryan O’Neal, star of Love Story and Barry Lyndon, dies at 82

Ryan O’Neal, star of Love Story and Barry Lyndon, dies at 82 – the actor worked with directors such as Stanley Kubrick and Peter Bogdanovich, but it was a romantic melodrama that marked his most important legacy in cinema.

By Megan Sauer

Several media outlets confirm the death of Ryan O’Neal, one of the most outstanding actors of the seventies and eighties, and who worked with several renowned directors throughout his career.

His son, Patrick O’Neal, first shared the news on his social networks, and although the cause of his death has not been confirmed, it is known that he fought with two types of cancer for several years, and some believe that his health was affected.

Ryan O’Neal’s first steps in Hollywood

Born in Los Angeles, O’Neal never felt alien to Hollywood, since his mother was an actress and his father was a novelist and screenwriter, so he always thought about taking the same path as them within the industry.

Despite having a real interest in this medium that was so familiar to him, he also looked for other options during his youth, although things changed when his father moved the entire family to Germany to fulfill a project. Given the difficulties that he presented in the studies, he began to take some jobs in nearby productions.

Thanks to these experiences, O’Neal decided to try to become a fit actor in Hollywood and took his first steps in several television series where he began to attract attention for his physique and commitment.

His first wave of fame came with his participation in Peyton Place, where he played Rodney, a role that was appreciated by the public of the time. Little by little, the performer began to take his work more seriously and decided to find a way to work in films to take the next step in his career.

Thanks to titles like The Big Bounce and The Games , his name began to be better known among production companies, but the role that changed everything was that of Oliver in Love Story, where he shared credits with Ali MacGraw.

The melodrama about a couple who sees their romance broken by an unexpected illness opened many doors for him and earned him nominations for Best Actor at the Golden Globe and the Oscar. After this, O’Neal’s career took a new direction that led him to films like What’s Up, Doc? and Paper Moon, both by Peter Bogdanovich; and Barry Lyndon by Stanley Kubrick .

After several years gaining ground in Hollywood, his name began to be associated with his private life and his romances, especially the one he had with Farrah Fawcett, and his career lost some of that initial momentum that had taken him to the top.

Still working, O’Neal began landing more roles on the small screen in shows like Bones and the 90210 remake , but by 2015 he seemed to be semi-retired.

Ryan O’Neal dies at 82

His son published the sad news about his death on Instagram.

The extensive message continues:

“Ryan never bragged. But he has bragging rights in Heaven. Especially when it comes to Farrah. And now they meet again. Farrah and Ryan. He has missed her terribly. What a hug that must be. Together again. I’ll miss you, dad. I love you. We love you.”

In 2001, the actor was diagnosed with leukemia, and in 2012 he publicly confirmed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Although it is known that he fought for years against these diseases, it is not known whether they had a long-term negative effect. to do with his death, and it will be his relatives who will decide whether or not to share that information with the public.