Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · September 16, 2025 · Entertainment

The Unlikely Romance: Robert Redford and Sibylle Szaggars

Legendary Hollywood actor Robert Redford passed away, leaving behind his longtime wife Sibylle Szaggars (pictured in 2013)

Robert Redford's Secret Life: How He Found Love with Artistic Sibylle Szaggars

The Hollywood legend has left us, but his love story will live on! Robert Redford, the dashing star of iconic films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, has passed away at 89. But what's fascinating is that he found new life in his second wife, Sibylle Szaggars, a stunning German-born artist who swept him off his feet.

The romance began in 1996 when Szaggars visited Redford's luxurious Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah. At the time, she was 40, and he was 60. But it wasn't just their age gap that made their relationship unique; it was their vastly different backgrounds. Redford, an American Hollywood icon, had no idea what to make of Szaggars' artistic talents or her passion for environmental activism.

The artist admitted she panicked when Redford asked her to join  him for dinner, renting eight of his films from reception and watching 15 minutes 'randomly' in case he would bring them up. Pictured in 2010

"I knew of him," Szaggars confessed in a 2014 interview, "I'd seen Jeremiah Johnson and Barefoot in the Park." But little did Redford know that his new friend was about to embark on a crash course of watching every single one of his films. In case he asked her about them, she wanted to be prepared.

Szaggars admitted that when Redford invited her to dinner with some friends, she panicked. "I thought, 'What if he wants to talk about his movies?' I have no idea — that would be so embarrassing." But in a shocking turn of events, Redford didn't even bring up the topic! Szaggars breathed a sigh of relief and lived to tell the tale.

The couple's whirlwind romance culminated in a private ceremony at the Louis C. Jacob Hotel in Hamburg, Germany, where only 30 family members and friends were in attendance. The union brought together two creative souls who shared a love for art, nature, and social causes.

The pair, who have a 20-year age gap, met at Redford's Sundance Mountain Resort in 1996 and have been inseparable ever since (pictured in 2012)

Szaggars' artistic talents are renowned, with a style that "connects to the earth and environment." Her work has been showcased worldwide, and she's an environmental activist through and through. In 2015, she founded The Way of the Rain, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public awareness about protecting our planet.

Redford, who had already made a name for himself as an advocate for the arts and environment, was captivated by Szaggars' passion and commitment to these causes. As Vice President of The Way of the Rain, he supported her initiatives and joined her on various charity events.

The couple's joint efforts didn't go unnoticed; they received several awards for their activism, including a Princess Grace Foundation-USA award in 2015 and an honor at the Ryerson Woods' 35th annual Smith Nature Symposium & Benefit in 2018. Redford gushed about his younger wife in a 2011 AARP interview: "She's younger than I am, and European, which I like."

Szaggars, who creates art that 'connects to the earth and environment', also has a passion for environmental activism which she shares with her husband (pictured in 2003)

The pair's love story was one for the ages – a testament to the power of connection between two kindred spirits from different worlds. As we bid farewell to Robert Redford, we can't help but be inspired by his enduring love for Sibylle Szaggars.

Sources: