Robert Redford was one of Hollywood's most enduring icons. The actor, filmmaker, and environmentalist, whose death was announced today, was 89 years old and a seminal figure in the entertainment industry. Throughout the years, Redford was a part of some of the most iconic movies ever made while also working hard to keep the art of cinema alive. As we look back on his career and his work, we explore his enduring relationship with the artist Sibylle Szaggars, with whom he was married for the past 16 years.
The couple met in the late '90s
Redford and Szaggars met in the late '90s, when she was staying at the Sundance Mountain Resort, which he founded, with her visiting from her native Germany to enjoy some skiing. Through the years, the couple have valued their privacy, but have attended various events together, with the two supporting each other in their work.
Szaggars is a multimedia artist
Szaggars is an artist, producing work in a variety of mediums for the past 40 years. Through her career, Szaggars has shared paintings, photography, pieces of performance art, and more, with her work being showcased in locations in Europe, the US, Japan, and more.
She didn't know of Redford until they met
Szaggars shared that she didn't know much about Redford upon their first meeting, prompting her to rent his movies to develop an understanding of his career.
Redford revealed that this attracted him to Szaggars. "It was a wonderful beginning of a relationship, because it began as two human beings meeting each other and finding a connection as two human beings, rather than being colored by success," he said, according to PEOPLE.
They married in 2009
Redford and Szaggars married in 2009, in a ceremony hosted in Hamburg, Germany, attended by 30 people. While Redford rarely discussed his private life, in an interview with AARP The Magazine, he shared that Szaggars was a "very special person" and had provided him with a "whole new life." The pair lived together for the remainder of their time in Sundance, Utah, where Redford had lived for the majority of his life.
They were united by their commitment to the environment
Szaggars has long been a passionate advocate for the environment, with her and Redford earning recognition for their work over the years. In 2015, she founded The Way of the Rain, a non-profit organization that had Redford as vice-president. According to its website, the organization was founded with the purpose of "developing, producing, and performing" art that brings awareness to the Earth and that boosts people's support for their home.
The've been recipients of numerous awards in the past, including a recognition for their environmental leadership at the 2018 Ryerson Woods' annual Smith Nature Symposium & Benefit.
“Sibylle and I were honored to receive this award at Brushwood Center, a place that provokes thought and provides inspiration to protect our natural world,” said Redford at the time.
Redford's previous marriage
Redford and Szaggars shared no kids together, but she served as a stepmother to Redford's two daughters: Shauna Jean, born in 1960, and Amy Heart, born in 1970.
Before his relationship with Szaggars, Redford was married to Lola Van Wagenen, with the two getting married in 1958. The pair had two kids who died: Scott Anthony, who died of SIDS two months after he was born, and James, who died in 2020 at the age of 58.