What Happened To Robert Redford's First Wife, Lola Van Wagenen?

Legendary actor and director Robert Redford has joined the list of stars we've sadly lost so far in 2025. As the world mourns his passing, many are taking a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, reminiscing about the late actor's life. Redford was married twice, and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, was at the famed director's side for most of the tragedies Redford faced during his life.

The couple notably mourned the loss of their baby son, who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in 1959. While Van Wagenen never spoke publicly about the tragedy, Redford told AARP Magazine in 2011, "It was really hard. We were very young." He added, "We didn't know anything about SIDS, so the only thing you think is that you've done something wrong. As a parent, you tend to blame yourself. That creates a scar that probably never completely heals."

Van Wagenen and Redford got married in 1958, and they called it quits in the '80s. The end of her marriage with the Sundance founder did not stall Van Wagenen's own career, however. While she was a mother and a wife, she still pursued her own passions. The 1980s saw her going back to school, earning a B.A. degree from Vermont College. She set her sights on New York University next, earning a Master's Degree in Public History and Liberal Studies a few years later. She finished in 1994 with a Ph.D in American History and proceeded to co-found Clio Visualizing History, Inc. in 1996. The company became a nonprofit in 2002 and aims to enrich students' understanding of history. This wasn't her first rodeo — she'd co-founded non-profit Consumer Action Now in 1970. Van Wagenen continued to build her career as the years wore on, eventually dipping her toes into showbusiness as well.

In 2002, Lola Van Wagenen gave a rare interview to Seven Days, discussing her role as executive producer of "Miss America," which explored the pageant of the same name. The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002, and Van Wagenen admitted to having felt a little nervous about the whole affair, especially given her husband's association with the festival — and the fact that people knew who she was. "I've tried to be a very private person with a very private life," she told the outlet.

And indeed, interviews with Van Wagenen are rare. Despite having been married to Robert Redford, who was one of the most renowned actors of his time, she's managed to mostly fly under the radar and let her work do the talking. Aside from "Miss America," Van Wagenen produced other documentaries, including "American Experience" and "The State of Marriage." She also appeared on an episode of "The Mike Douglas Show" in 1975, then credited as Lola Redford.

After his divorce from Lola Van Wagenen, Robert Redford married his second wife, Sibylle Szaggars, but he's not the only one who managed to find love again. Van Wagenen moved on with businessman and philanthropist George Carleton Burrill, and the two got married in 2002. The couple was honored by the Auckland University of Technology in 2020 for their efforts to provide students with opportunities to enrich their academic experience through exchange programs. Van Wagenen and Burrill received Seddon Honorary Fellowships in recognition of their work. "The pair are incredibly generous and work tirelessly to initiate and promote reciprocal study abroad opportunities for study at AUT and Champlain College," former AUT Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack said (via AUT New Zealand). At the time, Van Wagenen said, "For me watching these exchanges has been so enriching. And a lot of that also has to do with the wonderful experience we've had learning about our indigenous people, and your indigenous people." 

2020 wasn't just a year of celebration for Van Wagenen, however. One of the four children she shared with Robert, their son James Redford, died at the age of 58 of bile duct cancer. While she didn't publicly comment on her son's death, her ex-husband's publicist, Cindi Beger, released a statement, saying, "The grief is immeasurable with the loss of a child. ... His legacy lives on through his children, art, filmmaking and devoted passion to conservation and the environment" (via People).