Hollywood Legend Robert Redford Passes Away at 89, Leaving Behind an Unmatched Legacy

Hollywood is mourning the loss of one of its most enduring and influential figures.

Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, producer, and visionary founder of the Sundance Film Festival, has passed away at the age of 89.

According to a family statement, Redford died peacefully on September 16, 2025, at his beloved home in Sundance, Utah, surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren.

The cause of death was reported as natural causes.

For more than six decades, Redford defined American cinema in a way few could rival.

From his early days as a rising heartthrob in the 1960s to his commanding presence in the 1970s and beyond, he built a career that combined charisma, artistry, and a restless dedication to storytelling.

His performances in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Sting (1973), All the President’s Men (1976), and Out of Africa (1985) made him one of Hollywood’s most bankable and admired leading men.

Yet Redford’s contributions stretched far beyond his on-screen roles.

In 1980, driven by a passion to support young and independent filmmakers, Redford established the Sundance Institute in Utah.

What began as a small workshop in the mountains grew into the world-renowned Sundance Film Festival, a cultural institution that gave rise to groundbreaking directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Ava DuVernay, Damien Chazelle, and Jordan Peele.

Speaking in a past interview about Sundance’s mission, Redford said: “Independent film is where the future of cinema lives.

We must give space to new voices, even when they are uncomfortable or challenging.

Tributes began pouring in almost immediately after news of his passing broke.

Fellow actors and directors hailed him not only as a star but as a mentor.

Jane Fonda, his co-star in multiple films, including Barefoot in the Park and Our Souls at Night, said in a statement: “Bob was more than a colleague — he was a true partner in art, a loyal friend, and someone who always stood for integrity in this industry.

I will miss him deeply.

Mark Ruffalo, who once referred to Redford as a “hero of heroes,” revealed that he had written Redford a letter he never had the courage to send before his death.

“He changed my life when he cast me in The Last Castle,” Ruffalo said.

“I wanted to tell him how much that meant to me, how much his work had shaped mine.

Now, I hope he knows.

Beyond Hollywood, Redford was also a dedicated environmentalist and political activist.

He was outspoken on issues ranging from climate change to Native American rights.

He often used his platform to call for sustainability and conservation, once stating: “The connection between art and nature has always been my compass.

Without protecting the land, we lose not only our resources but our soul.

” His Sundance home became not only his retreat but a symbol of his love for the natural world.

Born Charles Robert Redford Jr.

on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, Redford grew up in modest circumstances before attending the University of Colorado on a baseball scholarship.

His path took a dramatic turn after he pursued art studies in Europe, eventually leading him to train at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.

He began on Broadway before breaking into television and film, quickly rising as one of the era’s most striking new talents.

His directing career was equally celebrated.

In 1981, Redford won an Academy Award for Best Director for Ordinary People, a searing drama that proved he was just as skilled behind the camera as in front of it.

He went on to direct acclaimed works such as A River Runs Through It (1992) and Quiz Show (1994), cementing his legacy as a multifaceted artist.

Redford officially announced his retirement from acting in 2018 after starring in The Old Man & the Gun, though he later made a surprise cameo in the AMC series Dark Winds in 2024.

His final appearance, alongside author George R.R.Martin in a playful scene, showed the humor and vitality that defined his career even into his late 80s.

Family, friends, and fans are now remembering the man behind the legend.

His wife, Sibylle Szaggars Redford, a German-born multimedia artist, released a heartfelt note: “Bob’s light will never fade.

He lived with passion, loved his family deeply, and believed in the power of art to heal and unite.

While I grieve his absence, I celebrate the extraordinary life he shared with the world.

Robert Redford is survived by his wife Sibylle, his children Shauna, James, and Amy, and several grandchildren.

His eldest son, Scott, tragically passed away in infancy in 1959, a loss Redford later described as one of the defining heartbreaks of his life.

The legacy Redford leaves behind is monumental.

He wasn’t just a movie star — he was a builder of institutions, a mentor to generations, and a man whose ideals pushed cinema into bold new directions.

As filmmaker Ava DuVernay reflected: “Sundance was a sanctuary because of Robert Redford.

My career, and the careers of so many others, would not exist without his vision.

He changed the map of American film forever.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be private, with a public memorial planned later this year at Sundance, Utah, where his life’s work will be honored.

Robert Redford once said: “Stories are our way of navigating the human experience.

Without them, we are lost.

” Through his films, his festival, and his lifelong advocacy, Redford gave the world countless stories that will endure for generations to come.

He may be gone, but Robert Redford’s light — like the flicker of a timeless film reel — will continue to shine across the silver screen and in the hearts of all who loved him.