Robert Redford, Hollywood Icon, Dies at 89

The ruggedly handsome leading man worked in films for nearly six decades

Robert Redford in 2014 [Marc Hom]

Robert Redford, a true Hollywood icon, has died. Redford passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday surrounded by his loved ones. The legendary actor and director was 89-years old.

Robert's publicist Cindi Berger of Rogers & Cownan PMK released a statement:

"Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the moutains of Utah - the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved. He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy."

Redford's last on-screen gig was the 2019 Marvel blockbuster Avengers: Endgame, where he reprised his role as Secretary Alexander Pierce to the delight of fans.

Robert Redford, born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, is one of the most enduring and versatile figures in American cinema. After studying art in Paris and at the Pratt Institute in New York, he pursued acting in the late 1950s, making early television appearances before transitioning to film. Redford’s breakthrough role came in 1969 with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, opposite Paul Newman, which not only cemented his status as a leading man but also inspired the name of his later Sundance Institute and Festival. Throughout the 1970s, Redford became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, with standout performances in films such as The Candidate (1972), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), The Way We Were (1973), and The Sting (1973)—the latter reuniting him with Newman and winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. His work in All the President’s Men (1976), portraying journalist Bob Woodward, reflected his growing interest in politically conscious cinema.

Redford moved into directing in the early 1980s and won widespread acclaim for his directorial debut, Ordinary People(1980), which earned four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Redford himself. He continued to alternate between acting and directing in the following decades, with highlights such as Out of Africa (1985), which won seven Oscars including Best Picture, and his directing of A River Runs Through It (1992), which helped launch Brad Pitt’s career. In later years, he took on roles in Sneakers (1992), The Horse Whisperer (1998)—which he also directed—The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), Lions for Lambs (2007), and All Is Lost (2013), a near-silent survival drama that was praised as one of his best performances. Even in his 80s, he remained active, starring in The Old Man & the Gun (2018), which he initially announced as his retirement from acting.

Throughout his career, Redford has been honored with numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. He is also a noted environmentalist and political activist, advocating for conservation, Native American rights, and campaign finance reform, and working with organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council. Perhaps his most enduring legacy outside of his own acting and directing is his tireless support for independent filmmaking. In 1981, he founded the Sundance Institute to foster emerging filmmakers, which later spawned the Sundance Film Festival—today the premier showcase for independent cinema worldwide. This commitment helped launch the careers of countless directors and actors and reshaped the landscape of American film.

Redford’s life and career embody a blend of Hollywood star power and artistic independence. By balancing blockbuster roles with politically and socially engaged projects, he created a blueprint for a socially conscious film career while championing new voices. His influence can be felt not only in his own body of work but also in the independent film movement that has flourished in the United States since the 1980s, a testament to his dedication to storytelling that is both meaningful and innovative.