He once rallied a community to fund research for the illness that took his first child. Amid the chaos of directing a major film, he flew back and forth every weekend—from New York to Omaha—just to sit beside his sick son’s bed. Now in his late 80s, he collaborates with a woman whose artistry crosses borders and whose creative spark mirrors his own.
Long before he gained recognition for his work in film and TV, his early adult life was more about grit than glamour. Acting came later. First, he was a college dropout wandering Europe with a paintbrush, then a newly married dreamer scraping together a life in New York. That’s where his real story began—one marked by struggle, resilience, and a relentless drive to create.
The actor and producer, circa 1950 | Source: Getty Images
As his career began to soar, his personal life remained a quiet battleground—marked by serious illnesses in his family and painful losses that spanned years. Yet, he kept pressing on, drawing strength from both his creative work and the duties he never turned away from. Though love and companionship ebbed and flowed, an unexpected encounter in the late ’90s would become the gateway to something enduring.
The Hollywood icon seen on November 27, 2012 | Source: Getty Images
His career unfolded over five decades, marked by performances in films that continue to resonate. He was part of the cast of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in 1969, followed by All the President’s Men in 1976. The 1980s brought leading roles in The Natural, and he stepped behind the camera to direct Ordinary People—a film that earned critical acclaim and several Academy Awards.
The actor photographed in New York City, circa 1980 | Source: Getty Images
Throughout his career, the actor maintained a quiet presence during interviews and was deliberate about how much of his true self he revealed on screen. He gained a reputation for drawing clear personal boundaries—something even his co-stars took notice of.
Jane Fonda, who shared the screen with him in Barefoot in the Park and The Electric Horseman, once remarked, “He wasn’t a fan of kissing scenes. I never brought it up with him. And he always seemed to be in a bad mood—I used to think I was the reason.” Still, she noted, “He’s genuinely a good man.”
The actor, director, and producer attends Pope Francis weekly general audience at the Vatican, on December 4, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
His journey into acting followed an early passion for art. Born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica and raised in Van Nuys, California, he earned a baseball scholarship to the University of Colorado after high school—but left during his second year.
He would later describe himself as “the campus drunk,” admitting he dropped out before anything meaningful could take root. He spent the next year in Europe, immersed in painting, before eventually returning to Los Angeles—a move that would usher in one of the most defining periods of his young life.
The entertainer, circa 1950 | Source: Getty Images
While living in an L.A. apartment building, he met Lola Van Wagenen, a 17-year-old bank teller. They married in 1958 and soon relocated to New York City. There, he enrolled at Pratt Institute to study art, eventually turning to acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
A friend from that time, stockbroker Collins, remembered meeting the couple. “He had that presence, even back then,” Collins said. “People were drawn to him.” He added, “I first met them when they were scraping by on bouillon in a tiny apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.” Within their first year of marriage, the couple suffered a heartbreaking loss.
The actor, circa 1960 | Source: Getty Images
Their five-month-old son passed away from sudden infant death syndrome in 1959, during a time when they were still trying to find their footing in New York. “That was a really hard blow,” he reflected years later. “He was our first. We were young, living in New York with no money. It was incredibly hard.”
At the time, they were just starting out—he was 21, she was 20—and had only recently made the cross-country move to build a future together. Looking back, he shared how challenging it was to make sense of such a loss at that age. “We went on to have more kids. But a loss like that… it never fully leaves you,” he said.
Lola Van Wagenen with her then-husband at the 53rd Annual Academy Awards on March 31, 1981, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
Though he seldom discussed the tragedy in public, he spent years quietly raising funds to support research into the illness that claimed his son’s life. After losing their first child, he and his wife went on to have three more children: Shauna, David James—known as Jamie—and Amy.
Amy poses with her dad at the premiere of “Cry Funny Happy” during the 2003 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2003, in Park City, Utah | Source: Getty Images
The couple stayed together for decades, weathering both the early challenges of his career and the quiet heartaches that followed. Their bond endured the loss of their first child and the continued health struggles of their son, Jamie. He kept his personal life closely guarded for years—and the eventual end of their marriage was no different.
The actor pictured with Lola Van Wagenen in New York City in 1978 | Source: Getty Images
He never spoke openly about the divorce, offering only a quiet admission: “I lost my way for a while.” Screenwriter Budd Schulberg once said he was surprised the marriage ended at all. “He told me he was completely devoted to his wife… They were incredibly close and had weathered a lot together.”
In the years after the split, he had a short-lived romance with actress Sonia Braga during the late 1980s. Later, he entered a long-term relationship with costume designer Kathy O’Rear, which came to an end around 1995. The period following the divorce was marked by its own share of struggles.
The actor pictured in California in 1995 | Source: Getty Images
Jamie, their son, battled severe health issues for much of his life. He suffered from colitis for years, which advanced to cirrhosis and ultimately required two liver transplants in the 1990s. One of the surgeries took place in 1993.
At the time, his father was directing Quiz Show in New York but made weekly trips to Omaha to be with Jamie at the hospital the family had chosen. When the first transplant failed, Jamie underwent a second one—though it too was followed by serious complications.
The actor is photographed with his son, Jamie, during the AFI Film Festival on November 8, 2003, in Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images
“But now he’s doing okay,” his father had said back then. Jamie passed away in October 2020 at the age of 58, the cause later revealed to be bile-duct cancer in his liver. After his death, the family’s spokesperson released a brief but heartfelt message. “There are no words for the depth of grief that comes with losing a child,” she said.
“Jamie was a cherished son, a devoted husband and father. His legacy continues through his children, his creative work, and his unwavering commitment to conservation and the environment,” she added. While his father chose not to share a personal statement, the spokesperson emphasized the family’s request for privacy during what she called an incredibly painful time.
Jamie poses with his dad at the premiere of “The Kindness of Strangers” on September 13, 1999, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Shauna endured a deeply traumatic stretch in the mid-1980s. In 1983, her longtime partner, Sidney Wells, was murdered. Just eight months after that loss, she lost control of her Ford Bronco and crashed into the frigid Jordan River near Salt Lake City.
A local woman, Dorine Staker Rivers, bravely plunged into the icy water and helped rescue Shauna, who was semiconscious inside the vehicle. Several months later, Dorine met Shauna’s father, Robert Redford, at the premiere of The Natural.
Robert Redford and his daughter Shauna pictured in 1983 | Source: Getty Images
She remembered him saying, “Saying thanks just isn’t enough,” and noted how moved he appeared. “I think he was genuinely at a loss for words. In that moment, he was simply a father.”
In the late 1990s, Robert met Sibylle Szaggars, a German-born abstract and environmental artist. Their paths first crossed at Sundance, where she had long been active in the art scene. As time passed, their connection grew deeper, and after over a decade together, they married in 2009.
Robert Redford and Sibylle Szaggars spotted in New York City on March 15, 2009 | Source: Getty Images
Sibylle, whose artistic journey spans nearly 40 years, is celebrated for her unique fusion of environmental storytelling and performance art. Her work has been showcased across continents—from Europe and Asia to the U.S. and South America. In 2013, she partnered with Icelandic composer David Thor Jonsson.
The two debuted The Way of the Rain, a multidisciplinary performance that wove together music, spoken word, dance, and visual elements. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Sibylle and Robert shifted focus to a digital format, developing The Way of the Rain – Reflections on Earth, a video series created in partnership with composer Tim Janis.
Sibylle Szaggars and Robert Redford at the premiere of “The Legend of Bagger Vance” on October 29, 2000 | Source: Getty Images
The series was showcased at events hosted by Earth X, National Geographic, and even the United Nations. In a 2011 interview, he offered a rare glimpse into their life together. “She’s a very special person,” he said. “She’s younger than I am, and European—which I like—so it’s a whole new chapter for me.”
Robert Redford and Sibylle Szaggars spotted strolling through the streets of Madrid, Spain on November 27, 2012 | Source: Getty Images
On March 9, 2025, Robert returned to the screen for the first time in years. His cameo appeared in the Season 3 premiere of Dark Winds, a television drama set in the 1970s Southwest that centers on Navajo tribal police officers.
In the episode, Robert plays a jailed man engaged in a chess match with author George R. R. Martin, who also makes a cameo. The idea for the scene had been floating around since Season 1. Although Robert—an executive producer on the show—considered appearing in the Season 2 finale, he ultimately chose to film the chess scene instead.
Sibylle Szaggars and Robert Redford at the 42nd Chaplin Award Gala on April 27, 2015 | Source: Getty Images
The scene was filmed on a closed set, per Robert’s request. Director Chris Eyre later reflected on how deeply the experience stayed with him. “Bob was incredibly gracious, just so warm that day,” he recalled, noting how energized the crew was. “It’s not every day you get to shoot a scene with Robert Redford—it was truly something special.”
Sibylle Szaggars and Robert Redford at the Gala for the Global Ocean on September 26, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
This marked Robert’s first on-screen role since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, where he made a brief return as his character from Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
In the years that followed, he lent his voice to the 2020 experimental film Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia, appeared in HBO’s White House Plumbers in 2023, and contributed narration to his wife’s 2024 stage production, The Way of the Rain – Hope for Earth.
Sibylle Szaggars and Robert during the 18th Marrakech International Film Festival on December 6, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
Now 88, Robert remains deeply engaged in both his creative pursuits and personal passions. Alongside producing for television and narrating multimedia works, he’s still a vocal advocate for environmental causes, often working hand in hand with his wife, Sibylle.
He continues to ride horses, ski, and play tennis, once remarking, “I still have energy. When that begins to fade, maybe then I’ll start thinking about age.” Back in 1998, he mentioned having four grandchildren — born to Jamie and Shauna — who affectionately called him “Bo-Pa” or “Ba-Poo,” depending on who was talking.
Robert Redford and Sibylle Szaggars at The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s 2021 award ceremony on October 29, 2021 | Source: Getty Images
“‘Grandfather’ is such a strange word,” he once said with a laugh. “It makes me think of some old man shuffling around in a robe.” While his legendary film and television career has defined his public image, Robert has always placed deeper importance on the roles he’s taken on in his personal life.
“People assume it’s all been smooth sailing,” he admitted. “But the toughest thing in the world is watching your kids go through hard times.” When reflecting on his life, he summed up what mattered most in the simplest way.
Sibylle Szaggars and Robert Redford attend The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s award ceremony at Grimaldi Forum on October 29, 2021 | Source: Getty Images
“I’ve made some meaningful films, and I’m proud of the work I’ve done,” he once said. “But if you asked me to name my greatest achievement? Without a doubt—it’s the children. They’re the best thing in my life.”
