Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, and champion of independent film, has died peacefully at his home in Sundance, Utah. He was 89.
News broke with a statement from his publicist, Cindi Berger, explaining: “Robert Redford passed away on September 16 at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah - the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved. He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy."
He passed away in his sleep, although no cause of death has been confirmed.
Since his death, tributes have poured in from many of his friends and fellow actors.
Jane Fonda mentioned she “couldn’t stop crying”, and Meryl Streep called him a “lovely friend”, adding, “one of the lions has passed.”
Social media posts also came flowing in. Barbra Streisand, who starred with him on the set of ‘The Way We Were’, shared a lovely black and white image of the pair together.
In her Instagram post, she praised him for being “charismatic, intelligent, intense, always interesting - and one of the finest actors ever.”
Redford rose to fame in the 1960s and became a defining screen presence with roles like ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’, ‘The Sting’, and ‘All the President’s Men’.
His pairing with Paul Newman in ‘Butch Cassidy’ made him a household name, and through the following decades, he solidified his talents.
In 1980, he directed ‘Ordinary People’, earning Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture, showing he was as gifted behind the camera as in front of it.
Beyond his film work, Redford’s greatest legacy may be the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival, which he founded to give independent filmmakers a voice.
He was also a lifelong environmental advocate, lending his influence to conservation and social causes.
Over his career, he was honoured with the Academy Award, an Honorary Oscar, the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
While his passing marks the near end of an era for the golden age of Hollywood, his legacy lives on through his films and contributions.
Rest in peace, Robert.
