Hollywood is mourning the loss of legendary actor, director, and activist Robert Redford, who died at his home in the mountains of Utah on September 16 at the age of 89. His publicist, Cindi Berger, confirmed the news, saying Redford passed away “in the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved,” while the family requested privacy during this time of grief.
Redford, whose career spanned six decades, rose to international stardom with the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid alongside Paul Newman, and later cemented his reputation with the Oscar-winning The Sting. Despite his status as a Hollywood heartthrob, Redford was known to be uncomfortable with fame, once remarking that “it’s a miracle I didn’t become a self-conscious blob of protoplasm” because of how much people focused on his looks.
Tributes have poured in from across the world of film and politics. Actress Meryl Streep, who starred with him in Out of Africa, called him “one of the lions” of cinema, while longtime friend Jane Fonda said his passing “hit me hard” and remembered him as “a beautiful person in every way.” Director Ron Howard described him as an “artistic gamechanger,” while Leonardo DiCaprio hailed him as both a “legend” and an “incredible environmentalist.” Political figures also honored his legacy, with former U.S. President Donald Trump calling him “great,” and Hillary Clinton praising him as a “true American icon” who championed progressive values.
Beyond acting, Redford’s greatest legacy may be the Sundance Film Festival, which he founded in Utah in the 1980s to promote independent filmmaking. The festival became a launchpad for acclaimed films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Manchester by the Sea, Get Out, and CODA, which later won the 2022 Best Picture Oscar. Reflecting on Sundance in a 2014 interview, Redford said he wanted to create a place “to come and develop new artists” and build a creative community away from Hollywood’s mainstream.
As a filmmaker, Redford earned an Academy Award for Best Director in 1980 for Ordinary People, and went on to direct critically acclaimed works like A River Runs Through It (1992), Quiz Show (1994), and The Horse Whisperer (1998). On-screen, his performances in All the President’s Men, The Candidate, The Way We Were, and Three Days of the Condor remain enduring classics.
Redford retired from acting in 2018, citing fatigue after decades in the spotlight. Yet, his influence never faded, as younger generations of filmmakers and actors continued to regard him as both an inspiration and a mentor. Jamie Lee Curtis summed up his multifaceted life in a tribute: “A life! Family. Art. Transformation. Advocacy. Creation. Legacy.”
In addition to his film career, Redford was a passionate environmental campaigner, dedicating much of his later life to conservation efforts and climate advocacy. He leaves behind his wife, Sibylle Szaggars, whom he married in 2009, and two daughters, Shauna and Amy. He was predeceased by two sons—Scott, who died in infancy, and James, who passed away in 2020.
Robert Redford’s death marks the end of an era for Hollywood. An actor of immense talent, a director of vision, and a cultural pioneer who reshaped independent cinema, his impact will be felt for generations. As actress Marlee Matlin, whose Oscar-winning film CODA gained prominence at Sundance, wrote: “A genius has passed. RIP Robert.”
