Hollywood legend Robert Redford, known for his handsome looks and Oscar-winning directorial debut with “Ordinary People,” passed away peacefully at his residence in Utah on September 16th at the age of 89. In 2019, his appearance in “Avengers: Endgame” marked one of his final works in the industry.
Robert Redford’s talent agency, Rogers&Cowan PMK CEO Cindi Berger, released a statement on behalf of the family, confirming that Robert Redford passed away peacefully in his sleep with loved ones by his side, although specific details about the cause of death were not disclosed. He is survived by his wife, two children, and several grandchildren.
Born in Santa Monica, California in 1936, Robert Redford rose to fame with the film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” in 1969, followed by his starring role in “The Sting” in 1973, which won an Oscar for Best Picture. In 1980, his directorial debut with “Ordinary People” earned him Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director, marking a successful transition from a leading actor to a filmmaker.
As a romantic leading man on screen, Robert Redford was one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors, sharing iconic on-screen chemistry with actresses such as Jane Fonda in “Barefoot in the Park,” Barbra Streisand in “The Way We Were,” and Meryl Streep in “Out of Africa,” solidifying his status as a Hollywood heartthrob.
Some of Robert Redford’s notable works include his leading role in “The Candidate” in 1972 and his directorial work in “A River Runs Through It” in 1992, both becoming timeless classics in film history. Following his appearance in “The Old Man & the Gun” in 2018, he announced his retirement from acting, with his cameo in “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019 serving as his final film appearance, reprising his role as the villainous Secretary Alexander Pierce from “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
Beyond his roles as an actor and director, in 1981, Robert Redford founded the Sundance Institute in Utah to support emerging filmmakers and independent productions. In 1984, he established the Sundance Film Festival, which quickly became one of the most important platforms for independent films worldwide.
With a prolific body of work, Robert Redford once shared in an interview with “Collider” in 2019: “As an actor, there’s a kind of freedom, you get to be somebody else and draw inspiration from the people around you.”