Robert Redford, the effortlessly cool, golden-haired movie star who redefined American cinema as an actor, a director, and the visionary champion of independent film, has died. He was 89. His publicist, Cindi Berger, confirmed that Redford died peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah, the sprawling sanctuary he created and loved. No cause of death was specified.
His passing marks the end of a remarkable career that spanned more than six decades, leaving an indelible legacy on both the silver screen and the culture it reflects. As an actor, Redford was the quintessential Hollywood idol, a symbol of rebellious cool in an era of social and political upheaval. He shared an iconic chemistry with Paul Newman in the classic caper films Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, and captivated audiences alongside Barbra Streisand in the bittersweet romance The Way We Were. He was the charismatic journalist in All the President’s Men, the cynical spy in Three Days of the Condor, and a lone figure of defiance in films from Jeremiah Johnson to All Is Lost.
But Redford’s influence extended far beyond his on-screen persona. In 1980, he stepped behind the camera to make his directorial debut with Ordinary People, a powerful family drama that earned him an Academy Award for Best Director, beating Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull. Just a year later, he founded the Sundance Institute, a small retreat for filmmakers in Utah that would grow into the Sundance Film Festival, a global powerhouse that launched the careers of generations of independent artists, from Quentin Tarantino to Steven Soderbergh. As director Ron Howard said in a tribute, Redford was a “tremendously influential cultural figure… and for launching the Sundance Film Festival which supercharged America’s Independent Film movement. Artistic Gamechanger.”
Beyond Hollywood, Redford was a passionate and unwavering activist, using his fame to champion environmentalism and indigenous rights. He was a lifelong advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council and a vocal opponent of policies he believed would harm the planet. In a statement, Jane Fonda, his friend and frequent co-star, said his death hit her “hard.” “He stood for an America we have to keep fighting for.”
Tributes poured in from across the world, from colleagues and fans alike. Barbra Streisand remembered their on-screen chemistry, saying, “Bob was charismatic, intelligent, intense, always interesting—and one of the finest actors ever.” Leonardo DiCaprio called his passing “a huge loss,” and President Donald Trump acknowledged, “He had a series of years where there was nobody better.”
Redford, who is survived by his wife, Sibylle Szaggars, and his two daughters, was a man of quiet grace who never fully embraced the celebrity he so easily achieved. He found solace in the mountains of Utah, the place where his career took flight and where he ultimately found peace. His death marks the end of an era, but his rebellious spirit, his unwavering vision, and his profound body of work will forever remain a part of American culture.