Ryan O’Neal Revealed He And Ali MacGraw Were ‘More Than Friends’ Decades After ‘Love Story’ Success

Dec 27, 2023 by apost team

When you think of iconic actresses from the 1970s, Ali MacGraw is likely to come to mind. Best known for her roles in films like "Goodbye, Columbus" and "Love Story," Macgraw is also a model and animal rights activist. MacGraw is an ambassador for the charity Animals Asia and has worked with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She was born Elizabeth Alice MacGraw in Pound Ridge, New York.

MacGraw won two Golden Globe awards throughout her career and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She also received the honor of having her hands and feet memorialized in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. In 1972, she was voted the top female box-office star in the world. This gorgeous actress also had a budding career as a model and worked as a photographic assistant for six years. 

In her personal life, MacGraw has been married three times, and she has one child from her second marriage. Her most famous relationship with co-star Steve McQueen began when they appeared together in the 1972 film "The Getaway." Read on to learn more about MacGraw and her tumultuous relationship with McQueen.

On the other hand, Ryan O'Neal, whose full birth name was Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal, was a successful actor who started his career in the entertainment industry in 1960. 

Throughout his career, he became popular for his movie with MacGraw titled "Love Story," as well as other ones such as "Paper Moon," "A Bridge Too Far," "The Driver," and many more.

Since both O'Neal and MacGraw worked in the past, they revisited their relationship as co-actors before the actor passed away in December 2023. Read on below to find out what they think of each other.

Unfortunately, Ryan O'Neal passed away on Dec. 8, 2023. His son, Patrick O'Neal,  confirmed the tragic news on social media, as he wrote, "As a human being, my father was as generous as they come… And the funniest person in any room. And the most handsome clearly, but also the most charming. Lethal combo."

His child added that O'Neal loved to make people happy and laugh through jokes as it was his goal, and it appeared that he was successful as his son noted that all of them laughed.

According to an article published by the Independent later that month, the actor's cause of death was due to "congestive heart failure." It was indicated in his death certificate obtained by The Blast.

Before he died, it was noted that he had problems with cardiomyopathy, which is a condition that affects the heart muscle.

Two years prior to his passing, O'Neal and Ali MacGraw spoke with People Magazine to detail their experience back when they worked on the film "Love Story." At the time, the film celebrated its 50th anniversary.

MacGraw recalled that when they first met, they had nothing in common as O'Neal was a "California kid" and "athletic." On the other hand, the actress graduated from Wellesley and had experience working at fashion magazines.

Even though they didn't have any common denominator back then, the actor noted that their chemistry was "magic" and even joked that they had to "drag" him away from her.

"We just clicked," MacGraw simply said, then O'Neal added, "We were just kissed with luck."

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In 2015, the co-actors were reunited for a production of "Love Letters." MacGraw was happy to be with her on-screen partner again, and she admitted that they still have the same chemistry.

"Our chemistry has not changed. We still feel the same about each other," she said, as reported by People Magazine.

On the other hand, O'Neal revealed the extent of their relationship as he added, "We are more than friends. She is like my sister, only she had better lock her door at night so I can't get in there. We have some unfinished business, and we are running out of time!"

When the actor passed away, MacGraw broke her silence and issued a statement to the outlet.

The actress, who was 84 years old at the time, said she had a great time working with the late actor back in the day.

"Working with Ryan all those years ago was one of the great experiences of my film career, and we remained friends ever after. He was a skilled actor, charming and funny too," she said.

She also credited O'Neal for being an integral part of her successful career, as she added, "I know that a huge part of my success was due to his generosity as my co-star."

When the actress spoke about O'Neal's death, she noted that she was not surprised by the news as she knew how ill her on-screen partner had been for many years.

MacGraw added that her heart goes out to all four of the actor's children and also noted that she had a "wonderful experience" working with him on "Love Letters" years before his death.

What do you think of Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal's relationship? Would you want to share the same thing they had with a special someone? Let us know your thoughts, and make sure to pass this on to your friends and family.