Hollywood is in mourning after the death of Robert Redford, the actor whose golden looks and quiet intensity made him one of cinema’s great screen idols before he went on to reinvent himself as a director, activist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. Redford died at his home in Utah at the age of 89, surrounded by family. The New York Times confirmed his passing on Monday morning.
Born in Santa Monica in 1936, Redford’s career spanned six decades, beginning with television appearances in the 1950s before he rose to prominence on the big screen. His breakout came with *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid* (1969), where his partnership with Paul Newman electrified audiences. He followed with roles in *The Sting* (1973), *All the President’s Men* (1976), and *The Way We Were* (1973), cementing his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars.
Redford was more than a matinee idol. He directed critically acclaimed films such as *Ordinary People* (1980), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and earned him the Oscar for Best Director. He later helmed *A River Runs Through It* (1992) and *Quiz Show* (1994), showcasing a deft touch for intimate, human stories. Variety called him “the rare star who conquered both sides of the camera.”
Robert Redford defined an era of American cinema — as a star, as a filmmaker, and as a visionary founder of Sundance. His impact is immeasurable. — @THR
His activism was as central to his identity as his films. In 1981, he founded the Sundance Institute, which nurtured generations of independent filmmakers and helped shape modern American cinema. The Sundance Film Festival became a haven for voices outside the studio system, launching careers from Quentin Tarantino to Ava DuVernay.
Environmental advocacy was another passion. A lifelong conservationist, Redford lent his voice and influence to campaigns against climate change and overdevelopment, working with groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council. The Guardian remembered him as “an activist who saw no division between art and responsibility.”
Tributes have poured in across Hollywood and beyond. Actor Jane Fonda, his co-star in *Barefoot in the Park* and *Our Souls at Night*, said: “Bob was the gentlest of men — and the fiercest when it came to justice. I loved him deeply.” Deadline reported that Martin Scorsese called him “a true pioneer of American film.”
Robert Redford’s passing marks the end of a cinematic era. Few stars embodied integrity, grace, and artistry the way he did. — @Variety
In his later years, Redford continued acting, with performances in The Old Man & the Gun (2018) and even Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). Yet he remained most proud of his legacy as a mentor and activist. The Los Angeles Times noted that he always saw himself as “a storyteller first, whether through art, activism, or film.”
For fans, Redford represented a golden age of Hollywood — handsome yet thoughtful, glamorous yet grounded. His death closes a chapter in cinema history, leaving behind a legacy of iconic performances, groundbreaking films, and a festival that reshaped independent filmmaking forever.
Robert Redford gave us Sundance, Ordinary People, Butch Cassidy, and a model of artistic integrity. A giant has left us. — @nytimesarts
He is survived by his children and grandchildren. For millions of fans across the world, his passing is not just the loss of an actor, but of a symbol of American cinema itself.