Robert Redford, one of Hollywood’s living legends, has lived a life defined not only by the spotlight, but also by loss, quiet love, and little-known private moments.

Though beloved for his warm smile, charisma, and easygoing demeanor, Redford has always kept a secret—a deep love story he rarely talks about.

At 88, he has finally admitted that the woman, Lola Van Wagenen, was the love of his life.

Before he became a movie icon, Redford was just a quiet boy growing up in Santa Monica. He disliked the constraints of school, but found joy in art and sports.

When he entered college, he lost his way, turned to alcohol, lost his scholarship, and was expelled.

Instead of giving up, Redford wandered around Europe, living on pennies and paintbrushes. It was this journey of self-discovery that led him to his destiny: meeting the woman who changed his heart forever.

Upon returning to the United States, Redford studied art in New York and then fell in love with the theater. It was there that he met Lola – a simple, profound and steadfast woman.

They quickly married in 1958, despite all the criticism. But life soon tested them with the tragedy of losing their first son, Scott, just two months after he was born.

This pain left a permanent mark on Redford’s soul, but instead of breaking them apart, it brought them closer together.

Lola did not leave him in sadness, but quietly became his support, helping him stand up and pursue his artistic dream.

Redford gradually became famous, from Broadway to the big screen. His role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid made him a global star.

But the halo also came with a harsh price. While he was away on the road, Lola raised their three remaining children alone.

Though he later admitted that not being present enough for his family was his biggest regret, Lola was always behind him, quietly supporting him – even when he founded the Sundance Film Festival.

But there was a limit to perseverance. After 27 years together, Redford and Lola quietly separated in 1985. No fuss, no scandal, just a realization that their old love was no longer the same.

Still, Redford called her “the love of my life”. Not out of habit, but out of the profound truth that she had seen him before the world had even heard of Redford.

After the divorce, he threw himself into work and fleeting relationships – from Sonia Braga, passionate but short-lived, to Lena Olin, who offered hope but then quietly departed.

Despite moments when it seemed like love was returning, Redford ultimately found himself alone with an unanswered question: was he looking for true love, or was he just chasing the shadow of the only woman who had ever truly understood him?

In the years that followed, Redford found peace outside the spotlight. He bonded with Kathy O’Rear – a costume designer who was not attracted to his aura but only saw a genuine person.

Their love was unpretentious, unassuming, but brought him the peace he had been searching for all his life.

In the late 1990s, Redford met German artist Sibylle Szaggars at the Sundance resort.

They married in 2009, and together they founded the organization “Way of the Rain”, which uses art to inspire environmental protection.

Redford says Sibylle gave him a new chapter – no longer Hollywood, but a deeper meaning in life.

Despite retiring from the limelight, Redford left his final mark with a haunting, wordless performance in All Is Lost and a surprise return to the Marvel universe.

Although he announced his retirement in 2018, he later admitted that he should not have retired so soon.

Because he never left the stage completely – he just chose to live his own way: peacefully, passionately, and ultimately understanding.

Robert Redford is not just an Oscar-winning actor, a cinema icon, or a social activist. He is a man who has loved passionately, lost, made mistakes, and regretted.

But above all, he is a man who dares to live authentically, dares to love, and never stops learning from his heart.

And throughout that long journey, there is one woman he will never forget – the one who, at 88 years old, he still calls the greatest love of his life.