When you think of Robert Redford, you probably picture the rugged blonde icon from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or the silver-haired visionary who built the Sundance Institute. He was the ultimate "golden boy" of Hollywood. But behind that effortless, sun-drenched facade was a guy who dealt with some of the most gut-wrenching grief a human can experience. Honestly, for a long time, Redford didn't talk about it. He played his cards close to his chest, which led to a lot of misconceptions about his family life being as "perfect" as his film career.
The reality? Robert Redford's children have lived lives marked by incredible creative success and, unfortunately, a disproportionate amount of tragedy. From the loss of a firstborn infant to a son who died while waiting for a liver transplant, the Redford family tree has seen its share of storms.
But it’s not all sad. His kids grew up to be painters, environmentalists, and directors who didn't just coast on their last name. They actually worked for it.
The First Heartbreak: Scott Anthony Redford
Most people don't even know Scott existed. He was born in September 1959, right as Robert’s career was just beginning to simmer. He and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, were just kids themselves, basically—living in a tiny New York apartment, broke and hopeful.
Then, everything shattered.
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At just two and a half months old, Scott passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Back then, people didn't talk about SIDS the way we do now. It was called "crib death," and the medical community didn't have many answers. Redford later admitted that the loss was "pretty traumatic" and something you never really get over. It left a scar on the family before the world even knew who the Redfords were.
Shauna Redford: The Artist Who Stayed Out of the Limelight
Shauna was born in 1960. While her dad was becoming the biggest star on the planet, she found her own lane in the art world. She’s a painter. A really good one, actually. If you look for her in the tabloids, you won't find much. She famously prefers a quiet life.
She’s married to Eric Schlosser, who you might know as the guy who wrote Fast Food Nation. They’ve been together for decades. Her life hasn't been without its own drama, though. Back in the '80s, when she was a student at the University of Colorado, her boyfriend Sid Wells was tragically murdered in his apartment. It was a huge story at the time, and it reportedly devastated her. Despite the proximity to Hollywood royalty, Shauna has managed to keep her private life remarkably private, focusing on her work and her two children, Mica and Conor.
James Redford: A Legacy of Activism and Resilience
If anyone carried the torch for Robert's environmental and social passions, it was David James Redford—everyone called him Jamie. Born in 1962, Jamie was a filmmaker who dedicated his life to documentaries that actually mattered. He didn't care about blockbusters. He cared about things like dyslexia, organ donation, and clean energy.
Jamie’s health was a constant battle. He was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare autoimmune disease, when he was young. It eventually led to him needing two liver transplants in the 1990s. He used that experience to create the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness.
"He lived a beautiful, impactful life and was loved by many," his wife Kyle Redford wrote when he passed away in October 2020.
Jamie died of bile duct cancer at age 58. His death was a massive blow to Robert, who was 84 at the time. It’s the kind of tragedy that feels unfair—a son who spent his life helping others, taken too soon by the very organs he fought so hard to save.
Amy Redford: Keeping the Sundance Spirit Alive
Amy is the youngest, born in 1970. She’s probably the most recognizable to film fans because she followed her dad directly into the industry. She’s an actress, director, and producer. You might have seen her in Sunshine Cleaning or The Sopranos.
She once told the New York Times that being Robert Redford's daughter was "a double-edged sword." People expect a lot. Or they expect nothing. She spent years studying at LAMDA in London and San Francisco State to prove she had the chops. Her directorial debut, The Guitar, was a hit at Sundance (yes, her dad’s festival, but the film stood on its own merits).
Amy seems to have the most "modern" approach to her father’s legacy. She lives in Salt Lake City with her three daughters and continues to produce work that feels raw and indie, very much in line with the original spirit of what her father started in the mountains of Utah.
Why the Redford Family Legacy Matters
What’s interesting about Robert Redford's children is how little they resemble typical "nepo babies." They didn't spend their lives on red carpets or chasing clout on social media (mostly because half of them grew up before it existed). They all seemed to inherit a certain "Utah grit"—a preference for the outdoors, a passion for the environment, and a refusal to be defined by Hollywood's shallow standards.
Key takeaways from the Redford family journey:
- Privacy is a choice: Despite being the children of a global icon, they largely avoided the "celebrity" trap by focusing on crafts like painting and documentary filmmaking.
- Resilience through loss: The family has dealt with the death of two sons across two generations, showing a level of private strength most fans never saw.
- Creativity as a tool: From Jamie’s activism to Amy’s directing, they used their platforms to highlight social issues rather than just self-promotion.
If you’re looking to understand the "real" Robert Redford, don't just look at his IMDb page. Look at the kids he raised. They reflect a man who valued substance over style, even when the world only wanted to see his face on a poster.
If you want to dive deeper into the work of the next generation, you should check out the Redford Center, the non-profit Jamie co-founded. It continues to fund environmental filmmakers and is a great way to see how the family’s values are being carried forward today.