Sundance, Utah — September 16, 2025
Oscar-winning actor, director, and environmental activist Robert Redford has died at the age of 89. According to a statement from his longtime publicist, Cindi Berger, Redford passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Utah home on Tuesday morning. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Redford transformed American cinema first as a golden-haired leading man of the 1960s and 70s, then as an award-winning filmmaker, and ultimately as the founder of the Sundance Film Festival, one of the world’s premier showcases for independent film.
🎬 From Leading Man to Filmmaking Visionary
Redford’s early fame came from roles that defined a generation. He shot to stardom with “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969), starring alongside Paul Newman, and continued his rise with films like:
- “The Sting” (1973) — another Newman collaboration that won Best Picture at the Oscars
- “The Way We Were” (1973) — a romantic drama with Barbra Streisand
- “All the President’s Men” (1976) — where he portrayed journalist Bob Woodward, cementing his image as both actor and activist
Though he never won an Academy Award for acting, Redford was deeply respected for his nuanced performances and subtle charisma.
He made his directorial debut with “Ordinary People” in 1980, a powerful family drama that earned him the Academy Award for Best Director and won Best Picture. He went on to direct several more acclaimed films, including “A River Runs Through It” (1992) and “Quiz Show” (1994), often exploring themes of identity, morality, and power.
🌱 The Birth of Sundance and Championing Independent Voices
Beyond the screen, Redford’s greatest contribution may have been founding the Sundance Institute in 1981. What began as a small Utah-based workshop evolved into the Sundance Film Festival, now considered the most important platform for independent cinema in the U.S.
Sundance launched the careers of countless filmmakers — from Quentin Tarantino to Ryan Coogler and pushed boundaries in storytelling, representation, and form. Redford’s commitment to authentic voices helped reshape American film from the ground up.
“He made space for stories Hollywood wouldn’t touch,” said one Sundance alum. “He gave indie filmmakers a global stage.”
🕊 A Legacy of Activism and Conservation
Redford used his fame to fight for the environment, indigenous rights, voting access, and media freedom. In 2005, he co-founded The Redford Center with his late son James to produce films about environmental and social justice.
His activism wasn’t performative. He lobbied lawmakers, wrote op-eds, funded documentaries, and spoke publicly about the climate crisis long before it was fashionable.
In recognition of his artistic and humanitarian achievements, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
👪 Personal Life and Final Years
Redford was born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California. He attended the University of Colorado and studied art in Europe before falling into acting.
He married twice most recently to artist Sibylle Szaggars, who survives him. He had four children, two of whom tragically passed away before him, and several grandchildren.
In his later years, Redford stepped away from acting, citing a desire to retire “gracefully.” His final major screen role was in “The Old Man & the Gun” (2018), a quiet farewell to the outlaw roles that made him famous.
📽 Remembering a Giant
Robert Redford’s death marks the end of a cinematic era. He was more than just a movie star , he was a storyteller, a cultural architect, and a fierce protector of the planet and its people.
His influence will live on in every daring indie film, every environmental documentary, and every young actor trying to carve out a meaningful career without losing their soul.
“I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security,” Redford once said. “Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad.”
That ethos blending art with conscience is perhaps the most powerful legacy he leaves behind.
0 Comments