Jefferson Roberts: Who is Ellen Burstyn’s son?

Jefferson Roberts is the son of Ellen Burstyn. Jefferson Roberts’ mother is an American actress who is known by many for her portrayals of complicated women in dramas. Burstyn is the recipient of numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, making her one of the few performers to achieve the “Triple Crown of Acting”. Aside from being a beloved actress, Burstyn is a mother. Who is Ellen Burstyn’s son?

Jefferson Roberts: Bio Summary

Who is Ellen Burstyn’s son?

Jefferson Roberts is the adopted son of  Ellen Burstyn and her ex-husband Paul Roberts. Ellen Burstyn became a mother in 1961 when she adopted her son, Jefferson with her second husband Paul Roberts. The couple tied the knot in a beautiful wedding ceremony in 1958 and called it a quit three years later, in 1961, the same year their son Jefferson Roberts was adopted.

Ellen Burstyn and her son are very close

The actress and her son are very close and some of the lines in her movies are inspired by some of the conversations she had with her son. The first time the actress met with HFPA journalists in January 1975, she talked about her film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, directed by Martin Scorsese, and how she added a lot of actual lines from her conversation with her son Jefferson Roberts.

ALSO, READ; Paul Roberts: What happened to Ellen Burstyn’s ex-husband?

Burstyn told the press-“When I read the script written by Robert Getchell, I felt that it was very close my own life, I’d say about 100%. Of course, with my particular training in acting, I always use my own experience and with this film it was quite easy to do. Then in the course of rehearsal Marty Scorsese works in a way where all of the actors were encouraged to contribute whatever they could, so a lot of changes were made, particularly with the mother-son relationship, to which I added a lot of actual lines and conversations that my son and I have had.“

The  Requiem for a Dream actress went on to talk about her son Jefferson Roberts whom she named after Thomas Jefferson- “He’s 13 and he is spoiled, I’m afraid, not because of indulgence, but because he’s an only child, which I think is a mistake, that, if I had to do over, I wouldn’t make.“

She continued- “It seems to me that kids learn about sharing through the necessity of sharing with their brothers and sisters, and without that they tend to be convinced that the world is revolving around them, as man was convinced for centuries that the sun was revolving around the earth. When we found out there were other planets, then we tended to not be so self-centered as a species. And my son hasn’t found out about the other planets yet, I’m still hoping he will.“

Ellen Burstyn said she tries not to lie to her son and answers his questions as fully as she can.  The mother and son ride bicycles and every Saturday goes to the theater together. She compared their relationship to what Alice and Tommy have in the movie, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

ALSO, READ; Ellen Burstyn husband: Who is the actress married to?

She went on to tell the press-“I don’t teach my son any specific religion, I encourage him to get in touch with his own spiritual side of himself, which seems to me is more available to people, if it’s not organized by an institution, if they’re not told the way it’s supposed to be in heaven but encouraged to investigate themselves what they feel“

Though Ellen Burstyn’s childhood in Detroit was marked by abuse of every kind, not least from her violent mother per the Guardian report, she tried her best to be a good mother to her son Jefferson Roberts.

She told the Guardian in an interview, -“Well, I remember when I was a child having a mental notebook where I would say, ‘I’ll never do that when I’m a mother.’ I would make notes about what a good mother should and shouldn’t be. I think my son would tell you I was a very good mother. I’m sure if my mother and I could sit down and talk about it today, she would say she was sorry.”

ALSO, READ; Neil Nephew: How did Ellen Burstyn’s ex-husband die?

Where is Ellen Burstyn’s son now?

The mother and son attended the opening of “Shimada” on April 23, 1992, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York. City. Ellen Burstyn and her son also attended “The Goodbye People” – Opening Party – New York City at Americana Hotel in New York City, New York, United States. 

Though he is the son of a famous personality, Ellen Burstyn’s son Jefferson Roberts is very private about his life. It is unclear what exactly he is up to. Jefferson has not made the news or granted any interview in recent years. His mother has also not given any update about him.