Cinema legend Robert Redford, one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars whose career as an actor, director, and activist spanned more than six decades, has died at the age of 89.
Redford passed away in his sleep early Tuesday morning at his home in Sundance, Utah, according to his publicist, Cindi Berger, chief executive of Rogers & Cowan PMK. A specific cause of death was not disclosed. Berger noted in her statement that “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.”
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, he grew up the son of an accountant and would go on to become one of the most recognizable faces of modern cinema. His breakthrough role came in 1969, when he starred alongside Paul Newman in the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The film launched him into stardom and gave its name to the Sundance Institute and Festival, which he later co-founded to support aspiring independent filmmakers.
Throughout the 1970s, Redford delivered unforgettable performances in The Sting, All the President’s Men, and The Great Gatsby, securing his place among Hollywood’s elite. By the early 1980s, he had moved behind the camera, winning an Academy Award for Best Director with his debut film Ordinary People in 1980. In 2002, the Academy honored him again with a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his enduring contributions to the film industry.
Redford’s influence reached far beyond Hollywood. In 1985, he established the Sundance Film Festival, which grew into the world’s leading platform for independent cinema and helped launch the careers of directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and Jim Jarmusch. At the same time, he dedicated much of his life to environmental activism, fighting to preserve the landscapes of Utah and advocating for sustainable policies across the United States.
In his personal life, Redford married historian Lola Van Wagenen in 1958, and the couple had four children together, one of whom died in infancy. They divorced in 1985, and in 2009 he married German artist Sibylle Szaggars, with whom he shared his later years.
Described by actress Barbra Streisand as “the intellectual, the artist, the cowboy,” Redford was admired around the world for his charisma, versatility, and authenticity both on and off the screen. His freckled charm and rugged presence made him a household name, while his vision for cinema and his devotion to environmental causes left an enduring impact that transcended film.
Robert Redford’s passing marks the end of an era in Hollywood, but his legacy as an actor, director, activist, and pioneer of independent filmmaking will continue to inspire generations to come.
