Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, and Sundance Film Festival founder, has died at the age of 89. His publicist confirmed that Redford passed away in his sleep early Tuesday at his home in Utah.
“Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, 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,” Cindi Berger, chief executive of publicity firm Rogers & Cowan PMK, said in a statement.
Hollywood Legacy
Robert Redford defined an era of filmmaking with iconic roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Way We Were, All the President’s Men, and The Sting. He brought charisma to the screen, whether playing outlaws, journalists, or political figures. His natural screen presence made him one of the defining actors of the late 1960s and 1970s.
He also played Alexander Pierce in Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
He also thrived as a director, winning the Academy Award for Ordinary People in 1980. His later work behind the camera included A River Runs Through It, Quiz Show, and The Horse Whisperer.
Sundance and Independent Film
Redford left a lasting impact beyond acting and directing. In 1981, he launched the Sundance Institute, which grew into the Sundance Film Festival. The event became the most influential showcase for independent film in the United States, helping launch the careers of filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and Paul Thomas Anderson.
Personal Life
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. in 1936, he grew up in Santa Monica and later studied acting in New York. He married twice and had four children, two of whom survived him. His personal life was marked by tragedy, including the loss of two sons.
A lifelong environmentalist and advocate for social causes, Redford remained politically outspoken throughout his career. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to film and activism.
Final Years
Redford continued acting into his eighties, with performances in All Is Lost, The Old Man and the Gun, and a cameo in Avengers: Endgame. He stepped down from public duties at Sundance in 2019 but remained an influential voice in film.
He is survived by his wife, Sibylle Szaggars, and daughters Shauna and Amy.
