Robert Redford, the legendary actor and filmmaker, is known worldwide for his iconic contributions to cinema.

Beyond his professional achievements, Redford’s personal life has been marked by both joy and profound sorrow, especially when it comes to his children.

Over the course of his life, Robert Redford and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, had four children. Tragically, only two of them have outlived him.

This article explores who Robert Redford’s children are, the hardships faced by the family, and how these experiences shaped their lives.

 

Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen’s first child, Scott Anthony Redford, was born on September 1, 1959.

The joy of welcoming a new baby was heartbreakingly short-lived. Just two and a half months later, in November 1959, Scott died from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

SIDS is a devastating and mysterious condition described by the Mayo Clinic as the unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby under one year of age, often occurring during sleep.

It is sometimes known as “crib death” because many cases happen while the infant is in their crib.

 

This loss was a traumatic event for the young couple. Robert Redford was only 21 years old at the time, and his wife was just 20.

In a rare moment of openness, Redford spoke about the tragedy in a 2017 interview with *Esquire*, recalling the emotional impact of losing their infant son.

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.”

The trauma lingered quietly, influencing Redford’s life in subtle ways, though time helped ease the immediate pain.

 

Despite the heartbreak of losing their first child, Robert and Lola welcomed their second child, a daughter named Shauna, on November 15, 1960.

Unlike her famous father, Shauna did not pursue a career in film. Instead, she channeled her creativity into the visual arts, becoming a painter.

She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1985 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

 

Shauna has mostly stayed out of the public eye, but her life has not been without its own challenges.

During her college years, tragedy struck again when her boyfriend, Sid Wells, was murdered in 1983.

Sid was remembered as a fun-loving individual with many friends, and Shauna was listed as his survivor, girlfriend, and best friend in his obituary.

This loss deeply affected her and her family.Robert Redford himself reportedly paused work on the 1984 film *The Natural* to attend Wells’s funeral.

 

Shauna eventually moved forward with her life, marrying acclaimed journalist Eric Schlosser in 1985.

Schlosser is renowned for his investigative work exposing the food industry, including documentaries and books such as *Food, Inc.* and *Fast Food Nation*.

The wedding took place at Redford’s family home in Provo, Utah.

Together, Shauna and Eric have two children, named Ma and Connor, continuing the Redford family legacy.

 

Robert and Lola’s youngest son, James Redford—known as Jaime—was born in 1962.

Jaime followed in his father’s footsteps by carving out a notable career in the film industry, focusing primarily on documentary filmmaking.

His works include impactful films such as *The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia* and *Happening: The Clean Energy Revolution*, which reflect his commitment to social issues and education.

 

Jaime’s life was marked by health struggles that began in his teenage years.

Initially misdiagnosed, he was eventually diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic disease that damages the bile ducts in the liver.

This condition forced him to undergo two liver transplants in 1993.

Inspired by his own experience, Jaime founded the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness in 1995 to support others facing similar challenges.

Unfortunately, Jaime’s health declined again when his liver disease returned in 2018.

While waiting for another transplant in 2019, he was diagnosed with bile duct cancer.

After a courageous battle, Jaime passed away on October 16, 2020, at the age of 58.

He left behind his wife, Kyle, and two children, Lena and Dylan.

Kyle shared the heartbreaking news on social media, writing, “Jaime died today. We’re heartbroken. He lived a beautiful, impactful life and was loved by many. He will be deeply missed.”

 

The youngest of Robert Redford’s children, Amy Redford, was born on October 22, 1970.

Like her brother Jaime, Amy pursued a career in film, becoming an actor, producer, and director.

Growing up between New York and Utah, Amy has spoken warmly about her father’s influence on her life and career.

In a 2008 interview with *The New York Times*, she reflected on their unique relationship, saying, “I’m able to talk to my dad in a way a lot of people can’t.

He still drives me nuts. He’s still my dad, but I have to say in light of what his universe was, he had his eye on the ball in terms of having kids.”

Amy’s personal life has included two marriages. She was first married to Mark Mann from 2000 to 2004.

In 2008, she married Matt August, a theater director based in Los Angeles. Together they have three children.

While Amy has not explicitly confirmed a divorce from August, she mentioned being a single mother in a 2022 interview.

 

Professionally, Amy has built a respectable body of work. She appeared as an actress in the 2008 film *Sunshine Cleaning*, starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt.

That same year, she made her directorial debut with the film *The Guitar*.

Amy credits her father’s filmmaking process and the creative environment he fostered as major inspirations for her own career.

She told *IndieWire* in 2008, “As a kid, I witnessed the process of my dad making films and the extraordinary cast of characters that came together to make it happen. I found myself drawn to the nomadic and creative life that that implied.”

Robert Redford’s family story is one of extraordinary talent intertwined with deep personal loss.

The deaths of Scott and Jaime were tragic blows, yet the surviving children, Shauna and Amy, have continued to build meaningful lives and careers.

The resilience of the Redford family in the face of adversity is a testament to their strength and creativity.

 

While Robert Redford is often celebrated for his artistic achievements and contributions to film and environmental activism, the private trials he endured as a father add a poignant dimension to his legacy.

Through the grief of losing two children and the challenges faced by the others, the Redford family has demonstrated the power of love, art, and perseverance.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.