Robert Redford was one of Hollywood’s most respected actors and filmmakers, but his life away from the camera was shaped by fatherhood, family relationships, and heartbreaking personal losses. The legendary star had four children, Scott, Shauna, Jamie, and Amy Redford, with his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen. While some of his children followed creative careers, others chose quieter lives away from Hollywood’s constant attention.
The Redford family experienced considerable tragedy over the years. Robert and Lola lost their first child, Scott, when he was just an infant, while their son Jamie died from cancer in October 2020. Their daughters, Shauna and Amy, pursued careers in painting and filmmaking. Together, their stories reveal a different side of the actor best known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President’s Men.
How Many Children Did Robert Redford Have?
Robert Redford had four children with his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen. Their names were Scott Anthony Redford, Shauna Jean Redford, David James Redford, commonly known as Jamie, and Amy Hart Redford.
Redford married Van Wagenen in 1958, before he became an internationally recognized Hollywood star. The couple welcomed their first child, Scott, in 1959, followed by Shauna in 1960, Jamie in 1962, and Amy in 1970.
Their marriage lasted nearly three decades before they divorced in 1985.
Although Redford became famous for his performances and filmmaking achievements, he generally avoided discussing his children’s private lives in extensive detail.
He understood that growing up with a famous parent could bring unusual attention, and his children were largely encouraged to pursue their own interests.
Each eventually developed a different relationship with the entertainment industry.
Shauna became a painter, Jamie worked as a documentary filmmaker and environmental advocate, and Amy pursued acting, directing, and producing.
Scott, sadly, died before reaching his first birthday.
Scott Anthony Redford: Robert Redford’s First Son
Scott Anthony Redford was Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen’s first child. He was born in 1959, shortly after the couple married.
His arrival marked an exciting beginning for the young parents, who were still establishing their lives together.
However, the family experienced a devastating loss when Scott died at approximately two and a half months old.
His death has commonly been attributed to sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, although historical accounts have also described the cause as unexplained.
SIDS refers to the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year, usually during sleep, after a thorough investigation.
For Redford and Van Wagenen, losing their first child was an experience that remained with them throughout their lives.
Redford later acknowledged that the tragedy had a profound emotional impact on him.
At the time, he was still a young actor trying to establish his career, and the family was dealing with grief away from the public spotlight.
The experience influenced how he viewed parenthood and the uncertainty of life.
Although Scott lived only a short time, he remained an important part of the Redford family’s history.
Shauna Jean Redford: The Artist Who Chose a Private Life
Shauna Jean Redford was born in November 1960 and is Robert Redford’s eldest surviving child.
Unlike her father, who became internationally famous through acting and filmmaking, Shauna developed an interest in visual art.
She attended the University of Colorado Boulder and later pursued painting as a professional career.
Her artwork has been associated with an expressive approach to color and composition, reflecting her interest in creativity outside the film industry.
Although she grew up in a famous family, Shauna has generally maintained a relatively private lifestyle.
She has not pursued the same level of public recognition as her father, preferring to concentrate on her artistic work and family.
Shauna married Eric Schlosser, an American journalist and author known for his investigative writing.
Schlosser gained widespread recognition for his book Fast Food Nation, which examined the American fast-food industry and its wider social consequences.
The couple have two children together.
Despite their connections to well-known public figures, Shauna and her husband have largely kept their family life away from entertainment publicity.
Her decision to work as a painter demonstrates how the Redford family’s creative interests extended beyond cinema.
Jamie Redford: Filmmaker and Environmental Advocate
David James Redford, better known as Jamie Redford, was born on May 5, 1962.
He was Robert Redford’s second son and became an accomplished documentary filmmaker, writer, and environmental activist.
Jamie developed an interest in storytelling, particularly documentaries examining social issues, public health, and environmental concerns.
Rather than concentrating on mainstream Hollywood entertainment, he used filmmaking to explore subjects that could encourage public discussion.
His documentary projects included The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia, which examined the experiences of people living with dyslexia.
The film reflected his interest in education and helping families better understand learning differences.
Jamie also directed Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope, a documentary exploring how childhood adversity can affect long-term health and development.
His work often focused on individuals and communities facing difficult circumstances.
Through these projects, Jamie established a professional identity that was separate from his father’s acting career.
Although he benefited from growing up around filmmaking, his documentaries reflected his own interests and priorities.
Jamie Redford’s Role in Founding The Redford Center
One of Jamie Redford’s most significant achievements was co-founding The Redford Center with his father in 2005.
The nonprofit organization focuses on environmental storytelling and uses film and media to encourage awareness of environmental challenges.
Its projects have explored subjects such as clean energy, conservation, sustainability, and the relationship between communities and natural resources.
The organization reflected an important interest shared by Robert and Jamie Redford.
Robert had supported environmental conservation for decades, particularly through his involvement in protecting landscapes and promoting responsible development.
Jamie brought his documentary filmmaking experience to the organization, helping turn environmental concerns into accessible stories.
Their collaboration demonstrated how the father and son connected through creative work and shared values.
The Redford Center continued developing educational and storytelling initiatives, extending Jamie’s influence beyond his individual film projects.
His work helped demonstrate that documentary filmmaking could be used not only to inform audiences but also to encourage meaningful conversations about environmental responsibility.
How Did Robert Redford’s Son Jamie Die?
Jamie Redford died on October 16, 2020, at the age of 58, following a battle with bile-duct cancer.
His death was another devastating loss for the Redford family.
Jamie had previously experienced serious health problems involving his liver.
He suffered from primary sclerosing cholangitis, a condition affecting the bile ducts, and underwent liver transplants earlier in his life.
Those experiences influenced his interest in health-related documentaries and medical advocacy.
In 2020, he developed bile-duct cancer, also known as cholangiocarcinoma.
Despite receiving treatment, he died in October of that year.
Jamie was survived by his wife, Kyle Redford, and their two children.
Following his death, family members and colleagues remembered him for his compassion, filmmaking achievements, and commitment to environmental causes.
Robert Redford was deeply affected by the loss of his son.
Jamie had not only been his child but also a creative collaborator and partner in environmental work.
His death came decades after the family had lost Scott, adding another painful chapter to Redford’s personal history.
Amy Hart Redford: Following Her Father Into Hollywood
Amy Hart Redford was born on October 22, 1970, and is Robert Redford’s youngest child.
Of his surviving children, Amy followed the most direct path into the entertainment industry.
She established a career as an actress, director, and producer, working primarily in independent film and television.
Amy developed an interest in performing arts and storytelling while growing up in a family closely connected to filmmaking.
However, she did not rely exclusively on her father’s reputation.
Instead, she pursued her own creative projects and gradually developed experience in different areas of production.
Her acting credits include appearances in television and film, while her directing work has demonstrated an interest in character-driven stories.
Amy made her feature-film directing debut with The Guitar, a drama released in 2008.
The film follows a woman who begins reconsidering her life after receiving a serious medical diagnosis.
Its themes of personal change and emotional discovery reflected Amy’s interest in intimate storytelling.
She has continued working on creative projects while maintaining a relatively low public profile compared with her father.
Her career represents another part of the Redford family’s lasting connection to filmmaking.
Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen’s Marriage
Robert Redford met Lola Van Wagenen before becoming a major Hollywood star.
The couple married in 1958, when Redford was still working toward establishing himself professionally.
Van Wagenen later became known for her work as a historian, environmental activist, and educator.
During their marriage, they welcomed four children and experienced both the excitement of Redford’s growing career and the challenges of family life.
As his Hollywood success increased, the demands of filming, travel, and public appearances became a regular part of their lives.
The couple eventually separated and finalized their divorce in 1985.
Despite the end of their marriage, their shared family history remained significant.
Van Wagenen continued pursuing her professional and educational interests, while Redford maintained his filmmaking career.
In 2009, Redford married German-born artist Sibylle Szaggars, who also became involved in environmental and creative initiatives.
He did not have additional children with Szaggars.
All four of Redford’s children were from his marriage to Van Wagenen.
Robert Redford’s Relationship With His Children
Robert Redford’s relationship with his children was shaped by a combination of creative interests, personal independence, and difficult family experiences.
He became famous during an era when Hollywood stars often faced considerable pressure to maintain carefully managed public images.
However, Redford generally preferred keeping his personal life separate from his professional achievements.
His children developed their own careers rather than following one shared path.
Shauna found fulfillment through painting, Jamie through documentary filmmaking and environmental advocacy, and Amy through acting and directing.
Their different interests reflected the family’s broader appreciation for art, storytelling, and social responsibility.
Redford’s professional relationship with Jamie was particularly visible through The Redford Center.
Their work together allowed them to combine filmmaking with environmental concerns, creating projects intended to reach audiences beyond traditional entertainment.
The deaths of Scott and Jamie also had a lasting emotional impact on the family.
Redford occasionally discussed grief and loss, although he generally avoided turning those experiences into regular subjects of publicity.
His family story was therefore much more complicated than the glamorous image associated with his Hollywood career.
How Many Grandchildren Did Robert Redford Have?
Robert Redford was also a grandfather.
His surviving children and late son Jamie had families of their own, giving Redford the opportunity to experience another generation of family life.
Public accounts have generally identified seven grandchildren, although he kept many details about them private.
Shauna and her husband, Eric Schlosser, have two children, while Jamie and his wife, Kyle, also had two children.
Amy has children as well, contributing to the larger Redford family.
Unlike some celebrity families that frequently share photographs and personal updates, the Redfords have generally maintained boundaries around younger relatives.
This approach was consistent with Robert’s longstanding preference for protecting family privacy.
His grandchildren also represented a continuation of the family relationships that remained important throughout his life.
Robert Redford’s Children and His Family Legacy
Robert Redford’s legacy extends far beyond his achievements as an actor, director, and founder of the Sundance Institute.
His four children each represent a different part of his personal story.
Scott Anthony Redford’s brief life marked an early tragedy for the family. Shauna Jean Redford developed her own artistic career, while Jamie Redford became a respected documentary filmmaker and environmental advocate before his death in 2020.
Amy Hart Redford continued the family’s connection to cinema through acting, directing, and producing.
Together, their experiences show how the children of a Hollywood legend built identities shaped by creativity, independence, and personal challenges.
For those searching for information about Robert Redford’s children, their stories reveal a family whose influence reaches into visual art, journalism, documentary filmmaking, and environmental advocacy.
Although Scott and Jamie died before their father, their memories remain an important part of the Redford family’s history. Shauna and Amy continue representing different aspects of the creative legacy associated with one of American cinema’s most recognizable names.