Legendary American actor and filmmaker Robert Redford, whose career spanned more than six decades, has passed away at the age of 89.
His publicist confirmed that the cinema great died peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday at his home in Utah. No specific cause of death was provided.
Cindi Berger, chief executive of Rogers & Cowan PMK, released a statement saying: “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.”
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Redford rose to fame in 1969 with his breakout role opposite Paul Newman in the classic Western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, where he charmed audiences as the easygoing outlaw.
After two decades of acting, he successfully transitioned to directing, winning the Academy Award for Ordinary People in 1980. He also co-founded the Sundance Film Festival, which became a vital platform for independent filmmakers.
Beyond the screen, Redford was deeply committed to environmental causes, dedicating much of his life to protecting Utah’s natural beauty and resources.
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, he was the son of an accountant.
He and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, had four children, though one tragically passed away in infancy. In 2009, he married German artist Sibylle Szaggars, his longtime partner.
Throughout his career, Redford became a household name in global cinema. His only best actor Oscar nomination came for his role as a conman in the 1973 hit The Sting. He later received an honorary Academy Award in 2002.
At the ceremony, Barbra Streisand described his enduring influence, saying: “Robert Redford’s work as an actor, director, and producer always represents the man himself: the intellectual, the artist, the cowboy.”
One of his most enduring contributions to film was the creation of the Sundance Film Festival in 1985, aimed at giving opportunities to filmmakers dissatisfied with Hollywood’s commercialism and lack of diversity.
The festival went on to nurture some of cinema’s biggest independent voices, including Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and Jim Jarmusch.
