Robert Redford's First Wife, Lola Van Wagenen, Has Remarried Since Their Split

Legendary actor Robert Redford’s legacy isn’t just about the roles that made him one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars.

Beyond his decades of success on screen and his activism off it, he was also known for his deep devotion to family.

Even though his Hollywood career reached dazzling heights, Robert often spoke about the importance of his home life. He and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, shared a life that included great joy and heartbreaking loss, and their story remains an important part of his personal history.

While he remarried later in life to Sibylle Szaggars, many fans are still curious about his first marriage. So, what really happened to Robert Redford’s first wife?

According to People, Robert married Lola Van Wagenen in 1958, long before he was a household name. The couple tied the knot when they were both very young, and together they started a family that would grow to four children.

Their marriage began quietly, away from the limelight, but as Robert’s career took off, they managed to raise their family while balancing fame and private life.

Their years together were filled with both triumph and tragedy. Their first child, Scott, passed away as an infant, a devastating loss that left a lasting mark on the couple. They went on to have three more children: Shauna, James, and Amy.

Despite Robert’s increasingly public life as his film career soared, the family remained grounded and close.

By the mid-1980s, however, their marriage had seemingly run its course. After more than two decades together, the couple decided to divorce.

"It was mutual and it was right to move on. We still have great love, great affection, great friendship. It is wonderful, and I think we probably deserve credit for it because the kids are great, they came through it OK," he told The Telegraph. "I wanted to prove that a marriage could last and prove the business wrong. But I couldn't."

Lola didn’t fade from the spotlight simply because she wasn’t married to Robert anymore. Instead, she carved out a path that reflected her own passions. Per Wikipedia, she received her bachelor's degree in 1982 and her master's degree in Public History at New York University (NYU) in 1984 and later completed her Ph.D there as well.

In October 2012, she received the Distinguished Alumni/Alumnae Achievement Award from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at NYU.

Beyond her studies, Lola became a force in activism. She co-founded Consumer Action Now in 1972, one of the earliest nonprofits to focus on environmental awareness. The organization worked to empower people with information on sustainability and responsible consumer habits, at a time when the movement was just getting started in the U.S.

She also founded Clio Visualizing History, Inc. in 1995.

“Just being for trees, fresh air, and pure water isn’t enough," Lola told Mother Earth News of starting her non-profit in 1972. "We’re all for ecology, but few of us know how to begin living our lives in ecologically sound ways. We need information that will help us distinguish between environmentally 'good’ and ‘bad’ products so that we can vote for (buy and/or recycle) the good and vote against (not buy or use at all) the bad every day of our lives."

Her dedication to advocacy also extended into filmmaking and media. As a producer, she is known for The State of Marriage (2015), American Experience (1988), and The Mike Douglas Show (1961).

As far as her personal life, she married George Burrill, the founder of the international development firm ARD. They were still married at the time of Robert Redford's death.

While Robert’s Hollywood career often drew the spotlight, Lola’s life illustrates that she forged an equally meaningful path outside of that fame.

She will be remembered not just as Robert Redford’s first wife, but as a scholar, activist, and storyteller in her own right.