Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary series that essentially serves as a memoir of Hollywood’s golden couple, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, HBO Max’s ‘The Last Movie Stars’ is unlike any other. That’s because it explores not only the reality behind their romance but also the way they actively endeavored to balance every personal as well as professional aspect of their lives until the end. So now that we know their blended family was a big priority if you wish to learn more about all of Paul’s daughters, in particular, whether from his first marriage or second, we’ve got you covered.
Who Are Paul Newman’s Daughters?
It was back in 1949 when the Navy veteran tied the knot with fellow aspiring actor Jackie Witte after they formed a connection while doing summer stage work despite their 5-year age gap. They only stayed together until 1958, though, that is until Paul and Joanne’s mutual feelings became undeniable, but the couple had already welcomed three children into this world. They were Alan Scott (1950), Susan Kendall (1953), and Stephanie (1954), just to be followed by the new duo’s daughters, Elinor “Nell” Teresa (1959), Melissa “Lissy” Stewart (1961), and Claire “Clea” Olivia (1965).
Therefore, the divorce and the almost immediate wedding did affect Paul’s first three children, especially his son, who sadly passed away from a drug overdose at 28, per the docuseries. His daughters reportedly think their illicit affair went on for way too long as well, yet they (specifically Stephanie) don’t feel any sense of anger or resentment towards their stepmother. That’s largely due to the fact they were pretty young when everything went down, as well as the importance Joanne placed on family bonding— they simply felt like they gained more love. Stephanie having a tattoo of her bonus parent’s name on her forearm just proves this further.
Paul Newman’s Daughters Continue to Focus on Their Respective Lives
Starting with Susan Kendall Newman, from what we can tell, the 69-year-old has proudly been following in her father’s footsteps as a notable artist and philanthropist for most of her life. She used to be an actress/producer before she consciously switched gears to offer her services to nonprofit substance abuse prevention and child welfare organizations across the globe. The California resident’s goal is now to raise awareness, increase funding, and help others effectively deal with such issues long-term, which she’s reportedly rather qualified for considering her family history.
On the other hand, Stephanie seems to prefer keeping her experiences well away from the limelight these days, meaning we, unfortunately, do not have any concrete information about her. As for Nell, the human ecology graduate from Maine’s College of the Atlantic is an environmentalist, a biologist, an entrepreneur, as well as a philanthropist through and through. The Co-founder of Newman’s Own Organics, who has been married to Gary Irving since 2005, currently serves as the founder of the Nell Newman Foundation and has even partnered with Shacksbury Cider.
Coming to Melissa or Lissy, she’s a visual artist, sculptor, and singer residing in Connecticut at the moment alongside her husband, educator Raphael Elkind (1995), and their two now-adult sons. It has been reported that she often volunteered at different Women’s Correctional Facilities across the state as well. Last but not least, we have Clea, whose husband Kurt Soderlund supports her as she continues to be an active part of her father’s legacy like her sisters, yet on a much larger scale. The philanthropist actually serves as the Senior Director of Special Initiatives at the Paul Newman-founded SeriousFun Children’s Network, a position she has held since at least 2013.
Read More: Did Paul Newman and Joanna Woodward Ever Separate?
