Hollywood’s legendary actor and director Robert Redford has died at the age of 89.
Oscar-winning actor, director, and environmental advocate Robert Redford passed away at his home in Sundance, Utah. Although he was one of Hollywood’s brightest stars, he will be remembered as one of the strongest figures of independent cinema and environmental activism.
Hollywood’s Changing Star
Born in 1936 in Santa Monica, Robert Redford pursued acting after a youth shaped by interests in sport and the arts. He made his breakthrough on Broadway in Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park and soon became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after names.
Redford achieved international fame in 1969 with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, co-starring Paul Newman. He left his mark on the 1970s with films such as Jeremiah Johnson, The Way We Were, The Great Gatsby, and All the President’s Men. Though remembered as a handsome, charismatic romantic lead, Redford refused to be confined by that label; he redefined himself across genres by taking roles in both political and experimental films.
In 1980, he cemented his place not only as a star actor but also as a major filmmaker when he won the Academy Award for Best Director for Ordinary People. Directorial efforts such as A River Runs Through It, Quiz Show, and The Horse Whisperer earned a distinct place in film history for their storytelling power and visual style.
Sundance: The Heart of Independent Cinema
One of Redford’s greatest contributions to cinema was the founding of the Sundance Institute in 1981. The institute created opportunities for young, risk-taking directors and became the home of the Sundance Film Festival, which soon grew into one of the world’s most respected gatherings for independent film. Filmmakers such as Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino, and Ryan Coogler took their first steps in cinema at Sundance. For Redford, Sundance was more than a festival; it was proof that cinema could be freer, bolder, and outside the center.
Having moved to Utah in 1961, Redford was also at the forefront of environmental activism through his deep connection to nature. He led campaigns for the preservation of the American West’s natural fabric for many years and did not shy away from raising his voice about the climate crisis. In an essay for CNN in 2020, he harshly criticized politicians for ignoring the climate emergency despite the wildfires sweeping the West.
Personal Life and Final Years
Redford had four children with Lola Van Wagenen, whom he married in 1958; their first son Scott died in infancy. His son David Redford died of cancer in 2020. Redford divorced in 1985 and married artist Sibylle Szaggars in 2009.
Still passionately committed to cinema in his later years, Redford reunited on screen with Jane Fonda in Our Souls at Night (2017). Although he announced a year later that The Old Man & the Gun would be his final film, he never accepted the word “retirement”:
“Retirement means giving something up. Why not live as much as possible while life is still there?”
