Farrah Fawcett’s Son Redmond O’Neal Wore Shackles To Her Funeral
Redmond O'Neal is the only child of actors Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal.
Redmond also worked as an actor.
He has had ongoing drug abuse problems with stints in rehab and multiple arrests.
As the only child of Charlie's Angels actress Farrah Fawcett and Love Story actor Ryan O'Neal, Redmond O'Neal grew up in the spotlight. Though his parents may have been the golden couple of Hollywood in their hey day, unfortunately, much of Redmond's life has been anything but golden.
Several documentaries, including A&E's Biography: Farrah Fawcett Forever premiering tonight, July 9, on A&E at 9 p.m. ET and REELZ's Farrah Fawcett: Behind Closed Doors, have covered his famous mother. However, much less is known about Redmond.
For starters, Redmond was born January 30, 1985 in Los Angeles, and his full name is Redmond James Fawcett O'Neal (nickname: Red). Here's everything else you need to know about him:
Redmond's parents, Farrah and Ryan, were never married.
Though the couple were together throughout three decades, they never tied the knot. "We never really considered it," O'Neal shared with Vanity Fair in 2009. "We didn’t want to do what other people wanted us to do. We were rebels. But now I would do it in a second—if I can get her to wake up long enough. Our son would love it."
Redmond has three half-siblings.
Red may have been Farrah's only child, but he wasn't Ryan's. His father had three children from two previous marriages. Ryan shares two children, Tatum O'Neal and Griffin O'Neal, with his first wife Joanna Moore.
Then, Ryan and his second wife Leigh Taylor-Young had Patrick O'Neal. The children's relationships were reportedly rocky over the years, per Vanity Fair. Redmond is the youngest of the O'Neal children.
Redmond is an actor like his parents.
Well, kind of—most of his work was as a voice actor. His credits include Love Don't Cost a Thing, The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars, and Johnny Bravo, per IMDb.
Redmond has been to rehab facilities multiple times.
Redmond struggled with drug and substance abuse since he was a teenager. "He’s been in 13 rehabs," Ryan told Vanity Fair. "He’s had a terrible life." In fact, his father once lied to his mother when Red visited her in the hospital. Ryan told Farrah their son had been in rehab instead of in jail. He also warned Red not to let his mom know he was shackled with leg cuffs.
Watch friends 0f Farrah remember her and her last words:
Redmond has a criminal record.
At 34 years old, he has a pretty extensive rap sheet, with multiple arrests and charges for drug possession, robbery, and assault. "This last arrest, something happened to me. I’m not doing good. I can’t go back, no way can I go back," Redmond told Radar Online in an interview from jail in 2018. "I just can’t do it. I hated prison, it wasn’t good. I don’t do well in there." Redmond added, "In my mind I’ve lost all hope."
His father Ryan also commented on his son's arrests to Vanity Fair: "He’s never been out on the street for a year, because whatever he did, he got caught. He got arrested in prison with heroin in his pocket! So many arrests, the poor, stupid boy!"
Redmond visited Farrah in the hospital before she passed away.
Farrah filmed her battle against anal cancer, and her home videos eventually became the documentary Farrah’s Story, which aired on NBC shortly before her death in 2009. Redmond appeared in shackles at her deathbed in a staged farewell, Vanity Fair reported. He also served as a pallbearer, still shackled, at her funeral.
Redmond has multiple tattoos.
Radar Online reported that the actor has 'f**k life' tattooed prominently on his left hand. He also has 5052 tattooed on his right cheek.
Redmond blames his parents for his drug abuse problem.
"It’s not the drugs that have been a problem, it’s the psychological trauma of my entire life—my whole life experiences have affected me the most," he told Radar Online. "Fighting with my father, being kicked out and living on the streets, going to jail, being put in a psychiatric ward, being embarrassed all the time, just because of who my parents are."
His father, however, disagrees. Ryan told Vanity Fair, "He has addictions he can’t control; he goes to sleep in his food. This is not a privileged guy. He never had any money; he never had a car; he never had a driver’s license."
Check out this preview of A&E's newest Farrah Fawcett documentary:
Farrah enrolled Redmond in a behavioral modification program when he was younger.
"She put Redmond in a place we couldn’t get him out of for 18 months, a behavior-modification program where they beat the shit out of him because he had been caught for marijuana," Ryan told Vanity Fair. "He lay on the floor for 36 hours, refusing to say he was sorry. This was our son! But she had become involved in an art project at the L.A. County Museum, and she didn’t want him back."
You can learn more about Farrah and Red's tumultuous mother-son relationship in Biography: Farrah Fawcett Forever on A&E tonight at 9 p.m. ET.
('You Might Also Like',)
