September 16, (THEWILL) — Oscar-winning actor, director, and activist, Robert Redford, best known for his roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, has died at the age of 89.
Redford passed away on Tuesday morning at his home in Sundance, Utah.
His publicist, Cindi Berger, confirmed his death in a statement, saying: “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.”
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. in Santa Monica in 1936, he rose from Broadway and television to become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars of the 1960s and ’70s.
With a career spanning more than seven decades, Redford starred in classics such as The Candidate, The Way We Were, and Spy Game, while also directing acclaimed films including Ordinary People, A River Runs Through It, and The Horse Whisperer.
He won the Academy Award for Best Director with Ordinary People in 1980 and later received an honorary Oscar in 2002 for his outstanding contributions to cinema.
Beyond film, Redford was a passionate environmental advocate. He founded the Sundance Film Festival, a landmark event for independent filmmakers, and co-established the Redford Centre, a nonprofit focused on environmental storytelling.
Redford’s legacy includes mentoring generations of filmmakers and actors through Sundance, with alumni, including Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Steven Soderbergh, and several others.
In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Redford the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him a man admired not only for his craft but also for his vision and advocacy.
Tributes from fellow actors, filmmakers, and fans have poured in on social media, honouring Redford’s extraordinary contributions to film, activism, and culture.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
