Oona O'Neil was born on May 13th, 1926, the daughter of famed playwright Eugene O'Neill and socialite Agnes Boulton. Oona had a fairly happy childhood, although she rarely saw her busy father. During her teens Oona attended boarding school in New York where she met Gloria Vanderbilt and Carol Marcus, and in 1941 Oona was named one of the most sought-after debutantes of the social season. Oona felt it was only natural that she become an actress, since she was the daughter of a playwright and the granddaughter of James O'Neil, a noted theater actor during the late 19th century.

Oona traveled to Hollywood in 1942 where she met silent film legend Charles Chaplin at the home of her agent. Chaplin began courting Oona after she auditoned for a film he was directing, and the pair married in 1943. He was 54; she was just 17. Oona scrapped plans to become an actress, opting instead to raise a family of what would be 8 children with Charlie. Although Oona was content with her life, she was deeply troubled by the failed relationship with her father, who disowned her and cut commmunication with Oona when she married Chaplin.

Oona spent the rest of her life in Vevey, leaving only a few times after Charlie died in 1977 at the age of 88 (Oona was only 51). Oona developed a few close relationships with Hollywood icons, like actor Ryan O'Neal, but she never married again. She died in Vevey from pancreatic cancer on September 27th, 1991.
Mother, with Charles Chaplin, of Geraldine Chaplin, Josephine Chaplin, Christopher Chaplin, Jane, Eugene, Michael Chaplin, Victoria Chaplin, and Annette-Emilie. Daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill and the socialite Agnes Boulton. Grandmother of Carmen Chaplin, Dolores Chaplin and Kiera Chaplin. Buried beside husband Charles Chaplin at a cemetery in Vevey, Switzerland. Daughters: Geraldine (b. 1944), Josephine (b. 1949), Victoria (b. 1951), Jane (b. 1957) and Annette (b. 1959). Half-brother, Eugene Jr., born May 1910. Brother, Shane O'Neill, born October 1919. Sons: Michael (b. 1946), Eugene (b. 1953) and Christopher (b. 1962). Granddaughter of James O'Neill. Voluntarily renounced her American citizenship right after Charles Chaplin was barred from the US (1953). Lifelong friend of Gloria Vanderbilt (the designer) and Carol Grace (who later married actor Walter Matthau). Is portrayed by Moira Kelly in Chaplin