EXCLUSIVE: Tragic Secrets Robert Redford Took to the Grave — and Why He Chose to Hide His Pain From the World
Robert Redford kept his personal pain hidden over his decades-long Hollywood career.
Sept. 17 2025, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Robert Redford has been considered among the greatest actors to ever grace the silver screen, but his Hollywood good looks hid a lifetime of secret heartbreak from the world, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star, who died at age 89 on September 16, discovered acting after suffering a life-altering loss at just 18 years old.
Redford's Dying Regret Over Mother's Unexpected Death
Redford spiraled out of control after his mother died when he was 18 years old.
Despite his mother Martha's best attempts at keeping him out of trouble, Redford was a wild child. He committed petty crimes, ran with a street gang, and partied all night, but his mother never gave up on him.
Martha tragically passed away at age 41 in 1955, when the future actor was just 18 and fresh out of high school.
Redford explained, "She had a hemorrhage tied to a blood disorder she got after losing twin girls at birth, 10 years after I was born," and was warned by doctors not to try to conceive again, but she didn't listen.
The movie star said his mother "wanted a family so badly" she took the risk.
Her death sent Redford into a downward spiral when he got to college in Colorado. He began drinking heavily, lost his athletic scholarship, and was kicked out of school.
While reflecting on her death, Redford confessed: "I took her for granted because that’s the way kids were at that age. My regret is that she passed away before I could thank her."
When Redford was still struggling to come to terms with the loss of his mother, he married his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, in 1985. Van Wagenen dropped out of college to be his wife. Redford was only 22 years old at the time.
Redford's Firstborn Son Dies of SIDS at 2 1/2 Months Old
Redford's firstborn son Scott died of SIDS when he was two and a half months old in 1959.
Redford acknowledged, "There were a lot of good reasons" for the marriage, but he claimed they ultimately tied the knot "to save my life."
The couple's newlywed bliss was interrupted by tragedy when they suffered the devastating loss of their firstborn son, Scott, who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) two and a half months after he was born in November 1959.
In a rare moment in which he discussed his late son, Redford opened up on experiencing such a "traumatic" loss so young.
He said: "I was only 21. My wife was 20. We were just starting our lives. I was just starting my career in New York. Of course, it was traumatic, and how that plays out over time, I don't know.
"We had to deal with it. You have to move on. And we had other children who came. But something like that doesn't get completely dismissed. It probably shows up in various small ways you're not even aware of."
Redford's Son James Dies at 58 After Lifetime of Illness
Redford's son James was born premature and suffered health issues throughout his life.
The Way We Were star continued: "I'm sure there's a lot of this stuff that's subconscious. But it's pretty traumatic when it happens, particularly when you're that young. You're not equipped to deal with it."
Redford and Van Wagenen welcomed three more children together, including a second son, James, who was born seven weeks premature and suffered from breathing problems.
James developed ulcerative colitis in his teens and later underwent two liver transplants.
For the second time in his life, Redford suffered the unimaginable loss of a child when James died at age 58 in October 2020 after a battle with bile duct cancer.
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James died at age 58 in 2020 after a battle with bile duct cancer.
While only a representative offered a statement on the family at the time, Redford previously spoke about hiding his pain from fans.
He said in 1998: "People think it's been easy for me. That's hard to live with. It's so untrue. The hardest thing in the world is when your children have problems.
"There have been so many hits on our family that no one knows about, and I don't want them to, for my family's sake.
"I've made some interesting movies, and I've been very satisfied with the work, but if someone wrapped it all up and said to me, 'What's your greatest achievement?' I'd say, 'The children. They're the best thing in my life.'"
