For decades, Robert Redford captivated audiences with his charm, talent, and iconic Hollywood roles, but behind the silver screen lay a deeply personal story of love, loss, and resilience.
Born into a modest working–class family in Santa Monica, Redford was a restless soul drawn to art, sports, and the outdoors, struggling in school and later losing his college scholarship due to heavy drinking. His journey through Europe ignited a passion for creativity, leading him to New York, where he studied acting and eventually found success on stage and screen. In the late 1950s, he met and eloped with Lola Van Wagenen, a grounded and deeply faithful woman who became his rock, especially after the devastating loss of their first child, Scott, to SIDS. As Redford’s fame soared with classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the pressures of Hollywood strained their marriage, but Lola remained a confidant and key supporter, even encouraging his dream of founding the Sundance Film Festival.
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