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Despite the incredible success and achievements throughout his life and career, Paul Newman carried two profound regrets, both of which were deeply personal rather than professional.
Paul Newman’s life was filled with remarkable accomplishments. From 1953 to 2007, he enjoyed a prolific career as an actor, earning numerous accolades, including an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in “The Color of Money” (1986). He received multiple Oscar nominations over the years, solidifying his status as one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors.
Newman had two marriages. His first marriage, to Jacqueline Witte, lasted from 1949 to 1958, and they had three children together, including Newman’s only son. He later married Joanne Woodward in 1958, and their union endured until his passing in 2008. The couple had three daughters together, making Newman the father of six children in total.
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In addition to his acting career, Newman founded the Newman’s Own Foundation in 1982. This charitable organization sells food products and donates all of its profits directly to various causes. Over the years, the foundation has contributed a remarkable $570 million to charitable endeavors.
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However, despite all his success, Newman harbored two significant regrets in life, and they were related to his family.
The first regret centered around his relationship with his father. Newman’s connection with his father was strained, and he felt that his father viewed him as a failure before his Hollywood stardom. Reflecting on his early days, Newman said, “I think he thought I didn’t show much promise in those days, and I tend to agree with him.
” Sadly, his father passed away before witnessing his son’s immense success, leaving Newman with the regret that his father had gone to his grave thinking of him as a failure.
The second regret concerned his relationship with his only son, Scott. Scott spent most of his life in the custody of Newman’s first wife, Jacqueline Witte. He faced a troubled upbringing, had difficulties in school, and eventually dropped out of college.
Scott also ventured into acting and stunt work, but he struggled in the shadow of his famous father. In one candid moment, Scott expressed his challenges, stating, “They expect you to be like him, or they try to get to him through me … but I don’t have his blue eyes. I don’t have his talent. I don’t have anything that’s me.”
Tragically, Scott’s life was marked by alcoholism, prescription medication use due to a motorcycle accident, and other substance abuse issues. These factors ultimately contributed to his accidental overdose and untimely death in 1978 at the age of 28. Newman deeply regretted that he and his son hadn’t been closer.
He later revealed, “I knew he drank too much and [medicated] himself, but I didn’t know how to open a door into him. I don’t think I ever hugged Scott or patted him on the arm or back or rump — the things fathers do.”
Following his son’s passing, Newman took action to honor Scott’s memory. In 1980, he established the Scott Newman Foundation, which is dedicated to providing education about substance abuse, aiming to prevent others from experiencing the same tragic fate.
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These two profound regrets, related to his father and son, added a deeply personal and poignant dimension to the life of an actor known for his professional success and philanthropic endeavors.