Robert Redford spoke about the deaths of his sons in different ways and at different times. After his infant son Scott died in 1959, Redford later described the emotional impact as “The gothic part of my nature came down on me.” After his son James died in 2020, a statement issued on behalf of the family said, “The grief is immeasurable with the loss of a child.” The first is Redford’s own retrospective reflection; the second is a family statement, not a personal interview quotation.
What Redford said about Scott’s death
Redford and his then-wife, Lola Van Wagenen, had four children, including Scott and James. Scott died in infancy in 1959. The Washington Post’s 2025 obituary reports that Scott died of sudden infant death syndrome and quotes Redford reflecting on the loss: “The gothic part of my nature came down on me.”
In the same retrospective account, Redford said, “I know it sounds self-absorbed, and in hindsight it was, but it felt like retribution.” He was describing how the loss felt to him at the time, not claiming that Scott’s death was literally punishment. The Associated Press also identifies Scott as one of the couple’s four children.
His later reflection on grief
A separate comment attributed to Redford concerns how such a loss can remain present over time. A 2025 syndicated People report says the remark came from a 2017 interview with Esquire UK: “Something like that doesn’t get completely dismissed. It probably shows up in various small ways you’re not even aware of.” The wording is available here through the syndicated report; it should not be treated as independently verified against the original interview.
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What the family said after James’s death
James Redford, a filmmaker and activist, died in 2020 at age 58. The Los Angeles Times reported that he died of bile-duct cancer in his liver.
After James’s death, Robert Redford’s representative shared a statement on behalf of the family: “The grief is immeasurable with the loss of a child,” Entertainment Tonight reported. The words express the family’s grief; they were not presented as a direct interview quotation from Robert Redford.
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Why the two accounts should be kept distinct
Redford’s comments about Scott are personal recollections published later in his life. The statement after James’s death was issued by the family through a representative. Both concern the loss of a son, but they come from different speakers and contexts, so attributing them accurately matters.
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