McCartney was born in Tucson, Arizona, to Linda Eastman (later McCartney) and Joseph Melville See Jr. (April 19, 1938 – March 19, 2000), an American geologist. Her parents separated after 18 months of marriage, and her mother married Paul McCartney in 1969, when Heather was six years old. During this time Heather was formally adopted by McCartney, also making an appearance in the Beatles film Let It Be. A half-sister, Mary, was born in 1969, followed by another half-sister, Stella, in 1971 and a half-brother, James, in 1977. Heather has said that her biological father had a lifelong influence on her, but that she considers Paul McCartney her father. Her mother was Jewish.