Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, and champion of independent film, has died at the age of 89. His publicist, Cindi Berger, confirmed that Redford passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 16, 2025, at his home in Sundance, Utah, surrounded by loved ones.
Charles Robert Redford Jr. was born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California. His father worked long hours as a milkman and accountant, while his mother encouraged his creativity and independence. Redford later recalled that his mother's faith in him gave him the courage to pursue an unconventional path. She died tragically young, just as Redford was beginning his college years, an event that shaped much of his outlook.
As a teenager, Redford discovered his passions for both sports and the arts. He attended the University of Colorado Boulder on a baseball scholarship but lost it after struggling academically and personally. After a period of travel and study in Europe, he returned to the U.S. to study painting and drama, enrolling at New York's Pratt Institute and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1959, he made his Broadway debut in "Tall Story", and just four years later, he earned acclaim opposite Elizabeth Ashley in Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park", a role he would later reprise on film with Jane Fonda.
Television appearances followed, with guest spots on "The Twilight Zone", "Naked City", and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". In 1962, he earned an Emmy nomination for "The Voice of Charlie Pont". His film career took off in the 1960s, with roles alongside Natalie Wood in "Inside Daisy Clover" and Marlon Brando and Jane Fonda in "This Property Is Condemned". But it was George Roy Hill's 1969 classic "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", opposite Paul Newman, that cemented Redford as one of Hollywood's leading men.
The 1970s brought a string of defining roles: the rugged frontiersman of "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972), a romantic lead in "The Way We Were" (1973) opposite Barbra Streisand, and a master con artist reunited with Newman in "The Sting" (1973), which won Best Picture and earned Redford his first Oscar nomination for acting. In 1974, Redford embodied the mysterious and tragic millionaire Jay Gatsby in Jack Clayton's lavish adaptation of "The Great Gatsby". His portrayal captured both the glamour and melancholy of F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic character, and the film remains one of his most recognizable roles. He portrayed journalist Bob Woodward in 1976 in "All the President's Men", a film he also helped produce, which chronicled the Watergate scandal.
In 1980, Redford transitioned behind the camera with his directorial debut "Ordinary People", which won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He continued to direct acclaimed films such as "A River Runs Through It" (1992), which introduced Brad Pitt to a wide audience. His later acting work included "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014), "Truth" (2015), and "The Old Man & the Gun" (2018), which he announced would be his final role, though he also appeared briefly in "Avengers: Endgame" (2019).
Beyond Hollywood, Redford left an indelible mark on American culture through his environmental advocacy and support of independent film. In 1978, he founded the Sundance Institute and its annual Sundance Film Festival, which became the most important platform for independent filmmakers in the United States. The Sundance name expanded into a brand that encompassed cinemas, television, and publishing, but its mission remained focused on nurturing new voices in film.
A longtime resident of Utah, Redford purchased land there in 1961 and became a passionate advocate for preserving the natural landscape of the American West. He received the National Medal of Arts in 1996 and, two decades later, the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
Looking back on his career in 2018, Redford reflected on the idea of retirement, saying, "To me, retirement means stopping something or quitting something. There's this life to lead, why not live it as much as you can as long as you can?"
Both triumph and tragedy marked Redford's personal life. He married historian and activist Lola Van Wagenen in 1958, with whom he had four children: Scott, who died in infancy, Shauna, David, and Amy. David, a filmmaker and activist, passed away in 2020 after a battle with cancer. Redford later married artist Sibylle Szaggars in 2009, with whom he shared his later years.
Tags: robert redford, r.i.p., the great gatsby
