Robert Redford’s career of over 60 years isn’t due to his incredible acting skills and diversity of screen characterizations only, but his looks and his heart of gold as well.
To remain one of the best in the industry for so many years isn’t something many actors can be proud of, but for Redford, each and every film and project has been a huge success.
Besides being best known for roles in acclaimed films like ‘The Sting’ and ‘The Way We Were,’ Redford is also a director, entrepreneur, and producer. He’s the founder of the Sundance Institute and Film Festival in Utah. Back in 2014, Time Magazine placed him on the list Time 100, naming him one of the “Most Influential People in the World.”
Redford has always had a very special bond with his mother. She was someone he could always turn to and someone who believed in him unconditionally. During the Sundance Film Festival Utah Women’s Leadership Celebration in 2018, he said, “The one person who stood behind me was my mother,” and he meant that, because Martha Hart was the perfect mother.
“Why do I feel this strong connection to women?” he then asked. “I think it probably has to do with my mom.”
Redford would always describe her as an adventurous and a ‘glass-half full’ person. Sadly, she passed away when Redford was 18 years old, and he has been missing her ever since because she was that one special person in his life who always made it complete.
“She believed that all things considered, she just had faith that I had something in me that was going to turn out OK,” he told Womans World.
Redford feels extremely sorry she didn’t live to see his worldwide success as an actor, director, and mostly as a person committed to environmental causes.
“She had a hemorrhage tied to a blood disorder she got after losing twin girls at birth 10 years after I was born.” But she wanted a big family badly and got pregnant again despite being told that another pregnancy could be life-threatening.
With so many accomplishments under his belt, one would say that Redford’s life is perfect, which isn’t far from the truth to be honest. He, however, like most living beings has his regrets, one of which is that he never got to say “thank you” to his mom.
“I took [her] for granted because that’s the way kids were at that age,” Redford told Womans World. “My regret is that she passed away before I could thank her.”
After her death, Robert found comfort in marrying Lola Van Wagenen in 1958. At the time, he was just 22 years old and she was still a teenager. The two were married for 27 years and had four children together. Redford described the marriage as “life saving union” that helped him with his grief. Even today, the two remain very good friends despite he married another woman, Sibylle Szaggars, in 2009.
Robert is 83 today and still active in the film industry. Some of his latest projects are Avengers: Endgame where he appears as both actor and director, and Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia where he voiced the part of Lokia the Dolphin Monster.
Robert Redford is an example of what all a celebrity should be. Charming, talented, versatile, and caring.