Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, and producer whose golden-boy looks and commitment to independent film made him one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons, died Tuesday at his home in Sundance, Utah. He was 89.
His death was confirmed by his publicist, Cindi Berger, CEO of Rogers & Cowan PMK, who said Redford passed away surrounded by family. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Once dismissed as “just another California blond,” Redford rose to global stardom in the late 1960s and 1970s, cementing his place in cinematic history with roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973), both opposite Paul Newman.
His career spanned six decades, balancing blockbuster success with serious, socially conscious films such as All the President’s Men (1976) and The Candidate (1972).
Redford also earned acclaim behind the camera. His directorial debut, Ordinary People (1980), won the Academy Award for Best Picture and earned him the Oscar for Best Director. In 2001, the Academy honored him with a lifetime achievement award.
Beyond Hollywood, Redford reshaped American cinema by founding the Sundance Institute in the 1970s. Its Sundance Film Festival became the world’s premier platform for independent filmmakers, helping launch the careers of Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and countless others.
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. in Santa Monica, California, on August 18, 1937, he once dreamed of being a painter before turning to acting. He found early success on Broadway and television before breaking into film with Barefoot in the Park (1967) alongside Jane Fonda.
Despite his fame, Redford remained intensely private, retreating to his Utah home where he pursued art, environmental activism, and family life. He was married twice, first to Lola Van Wagenen, with whom he had four children, and later to German artist Sibylle Szaggars.
Redford’s influence extended beyond acting. He supported environmental groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Wildlife Federation, and he often used his platform to speak on political and social issues, though he never sought elected office.
In later years, Redford continued acting, reuniting with Jane Fonda in Our Souls at Night (2017) for Netflix. At the time, he suggested it would be among his final on-screen performances, preferring to return to painting and directing.
“People have been so busy relating to how I look, it’s a miracle I didn’t become a self-conscious blob of protoplasm,” he once said, reflecting on the burdens of celebrity. “It’s not easy being Robert Redford.”
With his death, Hollywood loses not only a leading man of rare charisma but also a visionary who gave independent filmmakers a voice.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
