Robert Redford, Hollywood Legend, Dead at 89
Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, and tireless advocate for independent cinema, has died at the age of 89. He passed away peacefully at his home in Provo, Utah, his family confirmed, leaving behind a career that defined generations of filmgoers and reshaped Hollywood itself.
Redford’s breakthrough came with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), where his partnership with Paul Newman became one of the most iconic duos in movie history. He went on to star in The Sting (1973), The Way We Were (1973), and All the President’s Men (1976), establishing himself as both a matinee idol and an actor of depth.
In 1980, Redford won the Academy Award for Best Director with Ordinary People, a searing family drama that also claimed Best Picture. Yet perhaps his greatest legacy lies in founding the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival, which gave countless young filmmakers the chance to share their voices on the global stage.
An environmentalist and activist as well as an artist, Redford used his platform to champion conservation and social causes throughout his life.
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. in Santa Monica, California, in 1936, he rose from modest beginnings to become a cultural giant. He is survived by his wife, Sibylle Szaggars, and his children.
His death marks the end of an era in Hollywood, but his influence — through films, activism, and the festival that bears his name — will continue to echo for generations.