Robert Redford. The name usually brings up images of a rugged blonde guy staring into the Utah sunset or maybe a quick flash of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. But if you peel back the Hollywood gloss, there's a guy who was intensely private about the one thing he cared about more than movies: his family. Honestly, for a guy who spent decades in the spotlight, he was surprisingly good at keeping his domestic life under wraps.
So, how many children did Robert Redford have?
Basically, he had four. He shared all of them with his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen. They got married back in 1958 when they were basically just kids themselves—he was 21 and she was 20. But their journey as parents wasn't the typical "celebrity royalty" fairytale you'd expect. It was marked by some pretty heavy tragedy that most people didn't even know about until much later.
The Children of Robert Redford: A Quick Overview
Before we get into the messy, beautiful details, here is the basic lineup of the Redford kids.
- Scott Anthony Redford (1959–1959)
- Shauna Jean Redford (Born 1960)
- David James "Jamie" Redford (1962–2020)
- Amy Hart Redford (Born 1970)
It’s a mix of artists, filmmakers, and private citizens. Redford always said they were the "best thing" in his life. Sadly, by the time the legend himself passed away in September 2025 at the age of 89, he had actually outlived two of his sons.
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The Heartbreak of Scott Anthony
Most people don't realize that Redford’s first experience with fatherhood ended in absolute devastation. Scott Anthony was born in September 1959. At the time, Redford was just a struggling actor in New York.
Tragedy struck just two and a half months later. Scott died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Back then, nobody really knew what SIDS was. Redford later opened up about how they blamed themselves, thinking they’d done something wrong. It's the kind of scar that never really heals, and it explains why he became so fiercely protective of his subsequent children.
Shauna Redford: The Artist in the Shadows
Shauna was born just a year after Scott passed away. She’s probably the most private of the bunch. While her dad was winning Oscars, Shauna was busy becoming a highly accomplished painter.
She didn't chase the cameras. She married Eric Schlosser—yeah, the guy who wrote Fast Food Nation—back in 1985. They’ve stayed out of the tabloids, raising their two kids, Mica and Conor, in a way that feels very "un-Hollywood." You’ll occasionally see her at a Sundance event, but she’s definitely more comfortable with a paintbrush than a script.
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The Legacy of James "Jamie" Redford
If anyone followed in Robert’s footsteps, it was Jamie. But he didn't do it by starring in blockbusters. He was a documentary filmmaker and a massive environmental activist.
Jamie's life was a bit of a battle from the start. He was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease as a kid that messed with his liver. He ended up needing two liver transplants in the 90s. Instead of slowing down, he turned that struggle into art, making a documentary called The Kindness of Strangers about organ donation.
He and his dad even co-founded the Redford Center to produce films about climate change. Sadly, Jamie passed away in October 2020 from bile duct cancer. He was only 58. It was a massive blow to the family, especially since he and Robert were so close in their activism.
Amy Redford: Keeping the Flame Alive
The youngest, Amy, is the one you might recognize the most. Born in 1970, she actually went into the "family business." She’s an actress, director, and producer.
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You might’ve seen her in things like Sex and the City or The Sopranos back in the day. She also directed the film The Guitar. Amy has been pretty vocal about how her dad encouraged her to find her own voice rather than just being "Robert Redford's daughter." She’s got three daughters of her own now—Eden and a pair of twins—keeping the next generation of Redfords going.
Why the Redford Family Matters
Looking at how many children did Robert Redford have tells you a lot about the man. He wasn't just a face on a poster. He was a guy who dealt with the absolute worst kind of loss—twice—and still managed to foster a family of creatives who actually liked each other.
The kids didn't turn into "nepo baby" disasters. They became painters, activists, and mothers. In an industry that eats families for breakfast, that’s probably his most impressive achievement.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers
- Respect the Privacy: If you're looking for gossip, you won't find much. The Redfords value their "private self" over their "public self," a philosophy Robert lived by until his death in 2025.
- Support the Work: If you want to see the Redford legacy in action, look into The Redford Center. It’s where Jamie’s environmental work lives on.
- Check Out Amy’s Directing: If you want to see the creative DNA passed down, watch What Comes Around (2023), which Amy directed. It shows that same thoughtful, indie spirit her father championed at Sundance.
- Understand the SIDS Connection: The loss of Scott influenced Robert's portrayal of grief in movies like Ordinary People. Knowing the family history gives those performances a lot more weight.
Robert Redford’s life was a long one, spanning nearly nine decades. While the world remembers the movies, his seven grandchildren and surviving daughters are the ones carrying the real story forward. It’s a story of resilience, simple as that.