Trivia

Youngest person to ever win a competitive Oscar (Best Supporting Actress, Paper Moon (1973)). The statuette was presented to her by Charles Bronson and wife Jill Ireland (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion / April 2, 1974).

According to her autobiography "A Paper Life", she was not named after her paternal grandmother as was widely rumored for years but actually named after jazz pianist Art Tatum.

Michael Jackson claimed she was his first girlfriend and by all accounts his first big love. Tatum denies this in her autobiography, saying all that happened was that he briefly kissed her without permission when she was 12 and he was 17.

One of a very few performers to win an Oscar for their debut performance.

Highest paid child star in history when she made The Bad News Bears (1976).

Was scheduled to appear as host on NBC's Saturday Night Live (1975) for the November 27, 1976 episode, but she was replaced at the last minute by Jodie Foster.

Was turned down by James Cameron for the role of Sarah Connor in The Terminator (1984). Linda Hamilton ended up playing the part.

Was the second choice to play Violet in Pretty Baby (1978), along with Jodie Foster. However, neither Foster nor O'Neal were among the finalists; Brooke Shields won the part.

Was cast as Blythe Hunter in Wicked Wicked Games (2006) when original choice, Sean Young, was fired following apparent clashes with the show's producers.

Was voted #14 on VH1's 100 Greatest Kid Stars (2005).

Turned down the role of Deborah Gelly for Sergio Leone's final movie Once Upon a Time in America (1984). Elizabeth McGovern got the part.

Was extremely vocal about being voted off of Dancing with the Stars (2005) before the disastrous Master P.

She was 11 years old, the same age as her character, Amanda Whurlizer, when The Bad News Bears (1976) was filmed.

She was named Female Star of the Year by the National Association of Theater Owners in 1976

Release of her autobiography, "A Paper Life". (2004)

She is Irish descendant.