The Blue-Eyed Rebel Who Redefined Cool
Paul Newman had it all—looks, talent, and a seemingly perfect love life. But though he became one of Hollywood's most beloved actors, Newman lived a scandalous double life.
1. He Was Born With A Stare That Could Stop Traffic
In 1925, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Paul Leonard Newman was born with piercing blue eyes that would one day become legendary. But behind the baby blues was a kid who loved mischief more than manners—and had a charm that could get him out of almost anything. Hollywood had no idea what was coming, but trouble knew his name.
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2. He Didn't Fit In
Newman was drawn to performing at a young age—but surprisingly, he struggled to fit in at school. You see, as a young Jewish man, Newman was an outcast, even shut out of his high school fraternity. According to a family friend, "...he had a rough time". However, in many ways, Newman was even tougher on himself.
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3. He Wasn't A Star At School
Knowing him as the golden leading man he eventually became, it might be hard to imagine Paul Newman as anything but. However, later in his life, he reflected on his teenage years with a biting perspective, going so far as to say, “I wasn’t naturally anything. I wasn’t a lover. I wasn’t an athlete. I wasn’t a student. I wasn’t a leader".
Thankfully, breaking out of his comfort zone would make all the difference.
4. He Was A Rebel With A Businessman Dad
Newman's father, Arthur, ran a sporting goods store and expected Paul to follow suit. But Newman thirsted for a different life. Their bond was frosty; Arthur, a hard-drinking realist, showed little warmth or faith in his future. Newman felt like a loser in his father's eyes. Tragically, his mother was a different side of the same coin.
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5. He Was Caught Between Perfection And Panic
Newman's mother, Teresa, was a high-strung perfectionist from the old Austro-Hungarian world—furniture under wraps, emotions over the edge. One moment, she doted on Newman like a prince; the next, she'd lash out in a fury. Paranoid, volatile, and image-obsessed, she gave Newman a childhood polished on the surface that only disguised the chaos lurking beneath.
Luckily, young Newman was able to find his footing all on his own.
Sunset Boulevard, Getty Images
6. He Had Acting In His Bones
Newman's first role? A pint-sized court jester in Robin Hood at age seven. By then, he performed at the Cleveland Play House and joined their kids' theater troupe. He graduated from high school in 1943, then headed to Ohio University, where he joined Phi Kappa Tau. But only a year later, fate threw him a dangerous curveball.
7. He Wanted To Fly
In the midst of WWII, Newman decided to join the Navy, aiming to be a pilot—but supposedly, his colorblindness grounded him fast. However, that wasn't the real reason he couldn't fly. In truth, Newman wasn't actually colorblind. He later shared that he "couldn't do the mathematical things that being a pilot requires". But this failure wasn't the end of the road for him. Instead, he became a radioman gunner.
Unfortunately, WWII had a very close call in store for him.
8. He Had A Near-Death Experience
Paul Newman dodged certain death in 1945. Unbeknownst to him, his unit had been assigned to the doomed aircraft carrier, Bunker Hill. In an unforeseen twist, his pilot came down with an earache and couldn't make the journey there—and so Newman and his crew had to stay behind. Just days later, Bunker Hill faced a horrifying kamikaze strike, resulting in hundreds of fatalities.
Newman could have easily been among the victims if not for a simple earache. As such, he survived the war—and certainly didn't waste his burgeoning potential.
U.S. Navy; The original uploader was Quercusrobur at English Wikipedia.., Wikimedia Commons
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9. He Was A Student Of Drama
After WWII, Newman earned a drama and economics degree from Kenyon College in 1949. He hit the road with summer stock troupes like the Belfry and Woodstock Players, sharpening his craft. One year at the Yale School of Drama followed—then it was off to NYC, where he studied under the legendary Lee Strasberg.
On his way to mastering the craft, he met someone else chasing the spotlight.
10. He Found His Footing—And A Wife
Newman pursued acting at Yale Drama School, where he met Jackie Witte, his first wife. They married young in 1949—but they faced challenges from the very beginning. For one, Newman's mother didn't approve of Jackie for her "lowly" status—in Teresa's eyes, the daughter of a butcher just wasn't marriage material for her son.
But as we'll see, this would turn out to be the least of their problems.
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11. He Met The Love Of His Life
Newman hit Broadway in 1953 with Picnic—and it was during this production that one of entertainment's greatest love stories began. Though he may not have known it at the time, when Paul Newman met Joanne Woodward, he was looking at the woman who would become the love of his life.
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12. Their Romance Was A Slow Burn
As notorious as their romance would become, sparks didn't fly from the get-go. When Woodward first laid eyes on Newman, she wasn't exactly swooning. Sure, he was handsome—but in a buttoned-up, commercial kind of way. She later quipped he looked like "an ice cream soda ad". With his neat manners and polished charm, he seemed too conventional. Sizzle? Not yet. But the slow burn was coming.
13. He Dove Into An Illicit Affair
Newman and Woodward may have always been meant to be, but that didn't mean their romance was above board. Quite scandalously, their timing was a mess. After all, Newman was still married to Jackie Witte and had two young kids at home. When he finally dove into an illicit affair, he had no choice but to keep it a secret. This, in itself, was a heavy burden for Newman to carry.
14. He Dragged It On
Despite his picture-perfect image, behind closed doors, Newman rolled along with Woodward for five grueling years—the prospect of a dreaded divorce dangling in front of him. He later confessed, "Impossible times. I was a failure as an adulterer". But if Newman thought he suffered for it, his poor wife Jackie suffered even more.
15. He Had A Double Life
It would seem that Paul Newman lived a secret double life. In one corner, he kept his mistress, Joanne Woodward, and in the other, he placated his wife, Jackie Witte. In fact, he and Witte welcomed their third daughter, a baby girl, while he continued seeing Woodward. What's more?
Newman later admitted that he felt "guilty as hell" and that his betrayal of his first wife weighed heavily on him. But clearly, his desires outweighed his guilt.
16. He Betrayed Her
Newman's affair left heartbreak in its wake. He and Woodward worked together in 1957's The Long, Hot Summer—and not long after that, he finally decided to follow his heart. He secured a divorce from his Jackie Witte in 1958, but she did not emerge from this break-up unscathed. She later admitted, "I was very angry. I felt very betrayed and do still to this day".
Even his children felt the sting of their father's decisions.
17. His Children Suffered Too
Down the road, Newman's daughter Stephanie opened up about her parents' divorce, explaining that the separation "destroyed" her mother. And while Newman may have been haunted by the mayhem he caused, in the moment, it was he and Woodward who emerged with their flowers. After all, they were a happily married couple equipped with Hollywood contracts.
But if this was a celebrity fairy tale, it was certainly far from perfect.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
18. He Began Working In Film
While his personal drama unfolded off set, Newman's career took flight. After cutting his teeth on Broadway, Newman leaped into the film world. His first role was in a historical flop, which he later called the worst film of the 1950s. Critics roasted his toga-wearing debut in The Silver Chalice—but not all was lost. Even then, they couldn't ignore Newman's charisma.
19. He Had To Prove Himself
Newman was already drawing comparisons to Marlon Brando without the brooding baggage. The Silver Chalice may have been a bust, but it didn't kill his career. Audiences still saw the spark—and so did directors. Hollywood recognized he was more than sandals and scrolls, and threw him a lifeline.
20. He Replaced James Dean
After James Dean's tragic passing, Paul Newman landed the lead in 1956's Somebody Up There Likes Me. His raw, electric turn as Rocky Graziano didn't just save his career—it lit a path for future stars, inspiring the likes of Stallone and beyond. But this was only the tip of the iceberg.
21. He Got An Oscar Nod
In 1958—the same year he wed Joanne Woodward—Paul Newman starred in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, alongside the violet-eyed vixen, Elizabeth Taylor. The film was a box office hit, earning him his first Oscar nod. One might think that such leaps and bounds in his career might have laid a foundation for a happy home life.
But there was more trouble roiling in the background than most people realized.
Sunset Boulevard, Getty Images
22. He Was In His Wife's Shadow
You see, Joanne Woodward had actually grasped onto fame much quicker than Paul Newman. In 1957, she snagged the award for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her performance in The Three Faces Of Eve. She was only 27 and many believed that she was going to be the next big thing.
But it wouldn't be long before her star power found itself buried beneath Newman's—and for a classic reason.
23. His Wife Made Huge Sacrifices
In 1959, Newman and Woodward welcomed their first child—and that's when everything began to change. Woodward began to prioritize motherhood over her career, reportedly feeling extremely guilty for leaving her children behind to work on her projects. She rose to the occasion, but it came with a price.
Woodward stayed home with the kids, while Newman catapulted to new heights. It was a sacrifice that left a trail of bitterness.
24. He Wasn't Cut Out To Be A Parent
Many years down the road, Woodward commented on the trajectory of her career after her marriage to Newman, and her words certainly didn't paint a pretty picture: "I hope the children understand that although they were each and every one of them adored, if I had to do it all over again... I might not have had children. Actors don't make good parents".
This was a harsh truth that Newman grappled with throughout his life—and masked beneath bold-faced falsehoods.
25. He Wasn't What He Seemed
Newman did a phenomenal job of presenting as Hollywood's blue-eyed Prince Charming, impressing his fans with his devotion to Woodward. However, one of his most famous quotes just doesn't sit quite right. When Playboy asked how he stayed faithful to his wife, Newman quipped, "Why go out for a hamburger when you have steak at home?"
This line became legendary, but in truth, Woodward couldn't stand it.
26. He Made Her Feel "Like A Piece Of Meat"
Paul Newman might have been trying to compliment his wife, but Joanne Woodward didn't see it that way at all. She later said that it made her feel "like a piece of meat," and just hearing the touted hamburger line made her "want to burst". But a buried resentment such as this was just a small part of their family woes.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
27. He Was Caught Between The Past And The Present
Newman struggled with guilt over raising two very different families. His first three kids lived modestly, while his daughters with Woodward grew up in a mansion in Beverly Hills. The divide weighed on him—he knew the contrast was stark. Woodward helped bridge the gap, but the imbalance gnawed at him for the rest of his life. Some regrets never entirely faded.
Sunset Boulevard, Getty Images
28. He Was A Family Man With A Full House
Newman and Woodward didn't just build a marriage, they took on the challenge of a blended family in the spotlight. With three daughters of their own—Nell, Lissy, and Clea—plus Newman's three kids from his first marriage, their home was full of love, noise, and growing pains. However, the darkest aspects of Newman's home life were his own secret vices.
Ron Galella Collection, Getty Images
29. He Was Drowning In More Than Fame
Newman battled a quiet addiction for years, reportedly drinking a case of beer a day, often followed by Scotch. But that wasn't all. Sometimes, he'd drink so much, he'd pass out—the extent of his insidious habit taking a tremendous toll on the entire family. Woodward later called his drinking "the anguish of our lives". Behind the charisma, it was a struggle that nearly broke them.
30. He Had A Drinking Problem
Tragically, Woodward had known about Newman's drinking problem from the very beginning. She also believed that it was his way of finding some semblance of peace. But though his issues were so deep-rooted, Newman was incredible at pretending to be sober. He was high-functioning, never letting it affect his career or his public image—but it wasn't always an easy feat.
Sunset Boulevard, Getty Images
31. He Kept Things Professional
According to his daughter, Paul Newman had something of a ritual to energize him before facing a new day at work. As the story goes, he'd prep an ice-water bath in the sink and stick his face right into it—no doubt shocking his senses and waking him up properly, especially if there was still drink coursing through his system.
But this wasn't even the worst chapter of his drinking saga.
32. His Wife Almost Left Him
On one unforgettable occasion, Woodward discovered Newman in a chilling state. He'd drank so much, he'd tumbled out of bed. She found him sprawled on the ground, with an injured head. In that moment, it was the last straw. She ushered her three girls into the car—and did the unthinkable.
33. He Chased After Her
Woodward and her daughters headed for their beach residence in Malibu. She was on the very brink of leaving her husband for good—but Newman wasn't about to let them go without a fight. He chased after them. When he arrived at the beach house, he begged to be granted entry, clamoring at the door. But this time it seemed the Woodard wouldn't budge.
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34. He Slept In His Car
Woodward didn't fold easily and made her husband pay his dues. The celebrated actor wasn't let inside for days, and so he slept in his car. Sadly, Woodward later described this incident as "one of many, many scenes". In the end, however, they managed to work things out. But though they managed to keep "scenes" like this under wraps, rumors of a different nature ran rampant.
35. He Had A Woman On The Side
Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward's perfect marriage came under closer scrutiny after a shocking rumor began circulating in the tabloids. Allegedly, Newman had indulged in an affair with another woman while working on 1968's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Her name was Nancy Bacon.
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
36. They Were Hollywood's "Worst Kept Secret"
Nancy Bacon was a journalist, who was said to be romantically involved with Paul Newman for a year and a half. When this naughty little secret got out, sources say Newman and Woodward used an advert in the LA Times to try and squash the rumors. Unfortunately for them, Bacon wasn't as eager to keep her lip sealed, and went on to call her dalliance with Newman "the worst kept secret in Hollywood".
Still, it was Newman's role as a father that brought him the most heartache.
37. He Wasn't Ready For Fatherhood
Newman ultimately confessed that he was never quite ready to be a father, undertaking parenthood due to societal pressure. He also was quite harsh on his own parenting, admitting to an old teacher, "I would not want to have been one of my children". He worried he never truly connected with his kids. For a man who mastered complex roles, being a dad was the part he never felt equipped to play.
Tragically, Newman experienced every father's worst nightmare when it came to his son, Scott.
38. He Had A Complicated Relationship With His Son
Scott was Newman's oldest child, who bore a striking resemblance to him—but sadly, though Scott was the son of a Hollywood heartthrob, he didn't have it easy. For one, Scott didn't want to ride in on his father's coattails. He never wanted to accept any handouts, saying, "I'm not taking any acting help from my father. I want my work to stand on its own merit".
Still, the incessant comparisons drawn between father and son undoubtedly ate away at Scott.
39. His Son Couldn't Fill His Shoes
Scott felt like Hollywood wanted him to be like his father—an expectation he could never live up to. He once told a family friend, "I’m Paul Newman Jr, you know what I mean? But I don’t have his blue eyes. I don’t have his talent. I don’t have his luck. I don’t have anything...that’s me".
However, the real trouble began when Scott took up drinking... just like his father.
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40. His Son Turned Down A Dark Path
Scott struggled to make his way in the world, and turned to the bottle. He got into some scrapes with the law—but things took an even darker turn after a fateful motorcycle accident in 1978. To cope with the pain, he began relying on painkillers. In November of that year, he took a shocking cocktail of substances... The consequences were tragic.
41. He Lost His Son
28-year-old Scott Newmand accidentally overdosed on November 19, 1978, and passed the next day. The grief that Paul Newman felt in the wake of this loss was insurmountable. He has been quoted saying, "There's nothing you can say that will repair my guilt about Scott. It will be with me as long as I live". But that wasn't all.
42. He Felt Guilty
Grappling with the loss of his son, Newman felt many emotions—both grief and guilt. He heartbreakingly admitted, “Many are the times I have gotten down on my knees and asked for Scott’s forgiveness". He wondered what he could have done to change his son's fate. But even in these moments of darkness, Newman kept his eye on the horizon.
Sunset Boulevard, Getty Images
43. He Wanted To Make A Difference
In the wake of his son's demise, Paul Newman set out to make a difference. He founded the Scott Newman Center in 1980. Its purpose? To help educate youth about the risks of drinking and substance use. The organization went even further, eventually establishing Rowdy Ridge Gang Camp for families affected by the consequences of such issues.
Through all the ups and downs of his personal life, Paul Newman's career never showed any signs of slowing down.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
44. He Was A Cool Hand And A Hot Icon
The decades of Newman's life that overflowed with strife also served up some of his greatest performances. With that grin, those shades, and a streak of defiance, Newman's turn in 1967's Cool Hand Luke earned him an Oscar nod and decades of cultural clout. And just when he seemed unstoppable, he teamed up with Redford—and lit the screen on fire.
45. He Had A Perfect Partner
Paired with Robert Redford in 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Newman helped create one of the film's most iconic duos. Their real-life friendship fueled the magic. 1973's The Sting reunited them, proving it wasn't a fluke. It won seven Oscars, was surprisingly sharp and wildly entertaining, and cemented their legendary chemistry.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
46. He Was a Mentor With A Cue And A Past
With every role, Newman dug deeper. Outlaws, underdogs—he gave them gravitas wrapped in charisma. Decades after The Hustler, he returned as Fast Eddie in 1986's The Color of Money and finally scored that long-overdue Oscar. But Newman hadn't slowed down—he delivered more standout roles and built a legacy of giving.
47. He Aged Gracefully And Acted Fiercely
Newman only got better with time. In The Verdict (1982) and Nobody's Fool (1994), he delivered some of his most nuanced, magnetic performances. Then came Road to Perdition (2002), where he played a mob boss with chilling depth, earning another Oscar nod. Age didn't slow him down—it sharpened his legacy.
But acting wasn't his only talent in life.
20th Century Fox, Getty Images
48. He Was Late To The Track—But Hard To Beat
Acting wasn't Newman's only talent—he also had a passion for racing. In the early 1970s, he competed professionally, earning respect not as a celebrity behind the wheel but as a serious contender. At 70, he became the oldest driver to win his class at Daytona. Once he proved himself on the track, Newman set his sights on building a legacy in the pit lane.
49. He Was Proof That Speed Has No Age Limit
Newman wasn’t just fast—he was fierce. He won seven SCCA National Championships, nearly took Le Mans in 1979, and claimed Trans-Am victories in ’82 and '86—his final one at Lime Rock. Fittingly, he won his last race there in 2007, at 82 years old, behind the wheel of a 900-horsepower Corvette. Legend status: confirmed.
Sadly, though, fate had a cruel twist in store for him.
50. He Died From Lung Cancer
In 2008, Paul Newman's life took a drastic turn. In May of that year, he had to walk away from directing the stage production of Mice and Men for an alarming reason: He was facing some health issues. However, it was worse than anyone could have imagined.
The next month, headlines about Newman's alleged lung cancer diagnosis shocked fans. Still, he kept his personal health struggles to himself and battled the illness privately. Sadly, the 83-year-old actor passed on September 26, 2008, leaving behind a legacy that won't be forgotten anytime soon.
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