Robert Redford is the ultimate enigma. For decades, he’s been the golden boy of American cinema, the face of Sundance, and the man who basically defined the rugged, intellectual leading man. But when you look back at how robert redford was married, you realize the "Sundance Kid" was never really interested in the Hollywood circus. He didn't do the whole "revolving door of starlet wives" thing. He’s a guy who stayed married to one woman for almost thirty years, retreated to the mountains, and then, much later in life, found a second act that actually stuck.
It’s weirdly rare. In an industry where marriages often have the shelf life of an avocado, Redford’s personal history is grounded in long-term commitment and a desperate, almost obsessive need for privacy.
The Lola Van Wagenen Years: A Mormon Runaway and a High School Dropout
Most people forget that before the Oscars and the millions of dollars, Redford was kind of a mess. He was a college dropout from the University of Colorado who had lost his mother at age 18. He was drifting. Then he met Lola Van Wagenen.
She was a Mormon girl from Utah. He was a California boy with no real direction. They eloped in 1958. Honestly, it’s the kind of story that sounds like a vintage indie flick. They moved to New York into a tiny, cramped apartment while he tried to figure out if he was a painter or an actor.
Think about the timing. 1958. He wasn't Robert Redford yet. He was just Bob.
They had four children together: Scott, Shauna, David (who everyone called Jamie), and Amy. But the early years were brutal. Their first son, Scott, died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) when he was just ten weeks old. It’s the kind of trauma that either welds a couple together or creates a hairline fracture that eventually shatters everything. They stayed together for twenty-seven years after that, but Redford has since hinted that the grief never really left the house. It’s a heavy thing to carry while you’re becoming the most famous man on the planet.
Why the First Marriage Actually Ended
By the mid-80s, the world assumed they were fine. They weren't.
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They divorced in 1985. It wasn't a tabloid explosion. There were no messy "Page Six" leaks about cheating or "irreconcilable differences" involving a co-star. They just... stopped. Redford later told The Guardian that it was a mutual decision to move on, but he also admitted that he probably wasn't the easiest person to be married to during his rise to superstardom. He was busy building Sundance, directing Ordinary People, and being the face of environmental activism.
Lola went on to become a hugely respected historian and activist. She didn't stay "the ex-wife." She carved out a massive academic career. That tells you a lot about the kind of woman she is—and the kind of person Redford was drawn to. He didn't want a trophy. He wanted a partner with a brain.
The Long Gap and the Arrival of Sibylle Szaggars
After 1985, Redford was the world’s most eligible bachelor, but he didn't really act like it. He had some high-profile relationships, sure. He was with Brazilian actress Sônia Braga for a while. But he didn't rush back to the altar. He seemed content living in Utah, skiing, and grumbling about the commercialization of film.
Then came Sibylle Szaggars.
She’s a German multimedia artist. They started dating in the late 90s, and honestly, they seemed like a perfect match because she was as low-key as he was. They lived together for over a decade before they even considered making it official.
When robert redford was married for the second time in 2009, it wasn't a Malibu blowout. It was a quiet ceremony at the Louis C. Jacob Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. He was 72. She was 52. It was about companionship and shared artistic values rather than building a "power couple" brand.
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The Art of Staying Private
If you try to find "scandalous" photos of Redford and Szaggars, you’re going to be disappointed. They show up to Sundance. They show up to environmental galas. Then they vanish.
This is the secret sauce of Redford’s longevity. He figured out early on that if you give the public everything, you have nothing left for yourself. By the time his second marriage happened, he had mastered the art of being a public figure who lives a private life. Sibylle, an artist whose work focuses on the environment and the elements, aligned perfectly with his own obsessions. She wasn't looking for his spotlight; she had her own.
The Reality of Being a "Family Man" in the Public Eye
The Redford family story isn't all Sundance glam. It's actually been marked by a lot of tragedy. Beyond the loss of Scott in 1959, his son Jamie—a talented documentary filmmaker—struggled with health issues his whole life. Jamie had two liver transplants and eventually passed away from bile-duct cancer in 2020.
Seeing Redford navigate these losses while maintaining his marriages shows a side of him the movies don't capture. He’s a guy who values the "long haul."
- First Marriage (Lola Van Wagenen): 1958–1985.
- Second Marriage (Sibylle Szaggars): 2009–Present.
Notice the gap? Twenty-four years. He didn't jump from one bed to another. He took time to be a father, a filmmaker, and honestly, probably a bit of a hermit.
What This Tells Us About Hollywood Success
We’re obsessed with the "fall" of the movie star. We love the messy divorces. But Redford’s marital history is almost boring by comparison, which is exactly why it’s impressive. He chose women who were intellectuals and artists.
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Lola was a historian.
Sibylle is an abstract painter and environmentalist.
He didn't marry for PR. He married for substance. When we say robert redford was married, we’re talking about a man who used his domestic life as an anchor to keep him from drifting off into the insanity of the film industry. He once said that he never wanted to be a "character" in his own life. He wanted to be the one living it.
Common Misconceptions About Redford's Personal Life
Some people think he’s been married three or four times because he’s been in the public eye so long. Nope. Just twice.
Others think he divorced Lola because of his fame. While the pressure of being a global sex symbol in the 70s definitely didn't help, the reality was more about two people growing in completely different directions after nearly three decades. That’s just life. It’s not a movie script.
Actionable Takeaways from the Redford Model
You can actually learn a lot from how Redford handled his personal life, whether you’re a fan or just looking for a bit of perspective on long-term relationships.
- Prioritize Privacy Over Ego: Redford never sold his wedding photos to magazines. He kept the "sacred" parts of his life behind a wall. In the age of oversharing on social media, there’s a massive lesson there: not everything is for public consumption.
- Values Over Aesthetics: Both of his wives were accomplished in their own right. They weren't just "the wife of Robert Redford." Choosing a partner who has their own passion and career is arguably the best way to ensure a marriage lasts longer than a weekend.
- It’s Okay to Take a Break: After his first marriage ended, Redford didn't marry again for over twenty years. He didn't feel the need to fill a void with a legal document. He waited until it felt right, proving that there is no "timeline" for a second act.
- Resilience is Key: Between the loss of children and the pressures of fame, Redford stayed grounded. He used his family as a reason to keep going, rather than a distraction from his work.
Redford’s story isn't a fairy tale—it’s better. It’s a real-world example of how to manage a massive career while keeping your soul (and your family) relatively intact. He didn't let Hollywood define his relationships; he defined them himself.