Robert Redford was born in Santa Monica, California, in 1936, and over the years, he’s become much more than just a familiar face on the screen – he’s practically an institution in American film. With his striking looks and the kind of laid-back charisma that never comes across as forced, Redford starred in classics like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Sting,” and “All the President’s Men.” But as much as he embodied Hollywood stardom, he never really seemed at ease with its glitz or its spotlight.
Instead of embracing the usual celebrity lifestyle, Redford headed for the mountains of Utah. There, he bought land that would eventually become Sundance – not just a rustic getaway but a creative outpost and, eventually, the heart of the Sundance Film Festival. What started as a simple idea wound up reshaping independent film in America, offering opportunities to filmmakers working outside the mainstream studio system.
The acting launched his career, but Redford discovered perhaps his deepest passion behind the camera. His directorial debut, “Ordinary People,” earned him an Academy Award. He followed up with thoughtfully made films like “A River Runs Through It” and “Quiz Show” – always more interested in complicated people than in easy formulas.
Redford’s interests go well beyond movies. He’s spent decades as an outspoken advocate for the environment, pushing to protect wild spaces and speaking out about climate change long before it was headline news. His activism isn’t just a side project – it’s clearly something he takes personally.
Despite decades in the public eye, Redford has largely kept his personal life out of the headlines. He married Lola Van Wagenen in 1958, and they had four children together. Tragically, their first son, Scott, passed away as an infant. After their divorce in 1985, Redford mostly stayed private about his relationships, rarely indulging the gossip typical of the industry.
In 2009, he married German painter Sibylle Szaggars, with whom he shares not just companionship, but a mutual love for art and the natural world. Their relationship, much like the rest of Redford’s private life, has mostly remained under the radar – quiet, steady, and free from the spectacle that often surrounds celebrity couples. There were rumors over the years – flirtations with co-stars like Meryl Streep and Barbra Streisand made tabloid fodder – but Redford always brushed off the speculation. “I’ve always felt that my personal life should remain personal,” he once told a journalist. “The work should speak for itself.”
That attitude has clearly worked for him. Now in his late eighties, Redford is still revered not just for his screen presence, but for the mark he’s left across film, environmental activism, and American culture more broadly. Though he’s stepped away from acting – his last major role was in 2018’s “The Old Man & the Gun” – his influence is everywhere, from the filmmakers he’s mentored to the wild landscapes he’s helped preserve.
Past Relationships
Sibylle Szaggars
Kathy O'Rear
Lena Olin
Sonia Braga
Lola Van Wagenen
For all his iconic roles as charming outlaws and irrepressible golden boys, perhaps Redford’s most lasting achievement is how he’s handled his fame: with quiet resolve, a strong sense of values, and a determination to let the work – and not the hype – speak for itself. In an age obsessed with celebrity, that grace is rarer than ever.