Police say Academy Award-winning actress Tatum O’Neal has been arrested after buying crack cocaine near her home in Manhattan.

The 44-year-old actress was seen making the illicit purchase at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday. She is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

When the detectives approached her, she reportedly asked them, "You know who I am, right?"
Then she told the detectives that she was just researching a part. "I'm doing this for a part as a junkie," she insisted, later begging the police, "Can't we just forget this?"

A clean pipe and screen were found on her person. Both O'Neal and her alleged source were arrested and taken to the NYPD's 7th Precinct.

O'Neal has three grown children with tennis star John McEnroe. According to the New York Post, she went to rehab in 1996, but her career has not been in recovery until recently. Her most acclaimed recent role is that of the alcoholic sister of Denis Leary's firefighter, Tommy Gavin, in "Rescue Me."

She still holds the record for being the youngest actor to win an Academy Award, for starring with her father in "Paper Moon." She was 10.