Why did Hubbell never see his daughter?

In The Way We Were, the question of why Hubbell never sees his daughter is tied to the emotional distance and divorce between Hubbell Gardiner played by Robert Redford and Katie Morosky played by Barbra Streisand. In the film, Katie and Hubbell have a daughter together before their marriage ends, but after their divorce in the early 1950s due to political differences during the McCarthy blacklist era and Hubbell's affair and lack of commitment, Katie takes custody and moves away with the child. Hubbell is portrayed as a charming but emotionally detached man who drifts through life seeking comfort and avoiding difficult confrontations. After the divorce, he does not fight strongly for custody or maintain close contact, reflecting his character trait of avoiding responsibility and choosing an easier life in Hollywood with a new partner. The film's final scene shows Katie with her child and a new husband while Hubbell is with another woman, suggesting Hubbell has moved on and is not actively involved in his daughter's life. This absence underscores the film's theme that Hubbell loves Katie in his own shallow way but lacks the depth and commitment that Katie desires, and that their different values make co-parenting difficult, leaving Katie to raise their daughter largely on her own.