US acting legend Redford, best known for roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, has died at the age of 89.
In a statement, his publicist Cindi Berger, said: “Robert Redford passed away on September 16 at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah – the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved. He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy.”
Tributes have been paid to the Oscar-winning star of Out of Africa, by stars including Meryl Streep and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Redford, also famous for founding Utah’s Sundance Film Festival, won a best director Oscar in 1980 for Ordinary People. He announced his retirment from performing in 2018, having said in 2016 that he was “tired of acting.”
Hollywood actress Streep, who co-starred with him in Out of Africa, led the tributes, saying saying: “One of the lions has passed. Rest in peace my lovely friend.”
Jamie Lee Curtis posted on Threads: “A life! Family. Art. Transformation. Advocacy. Creation. Legacy. Thank you Robert Redford.”
Director Ron Howard, writing on X, described Redford as “a tremendously influential cultural figure” and an “artistic gamechanger”, while actor Colman Domingo posted: “With love and admiration. Thank you Mr Redford for your everlasting impact. Will be felt for generations. RIP.”
AFP reported that US President Donald Trump told journalists as he left the White House on Tuesday: “Robert Redford had a series of years where there was nobody better. There was a period of time when he was the hottest. I thought he was great.”
In his most recent post on his Instagram page, Redford wished himself a happy birthday on 18 August.
Featuring a slideshow of pictures of himself throughout his career, he thanked fans for their support “through every step”, saying it “meant the world”. He referenced his achievements from his breakout movies to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“Growing up working-class in Santa Monica, I faced setbacks flunking out of college, losing my mom young. I hustled through small TV roles, learned on Broadway, and took risks directing and building Sundance. Personal losses, like my son Scott’s death, taught me resilience. It was grit, passion, and a love for art that got me here.”
He added: “I’m thrilled my films, from The Sting to A River Runs Through It, have moved you, sparked conversations, or brought comfort. Sundance has given new filmmakers a voice, and my environmental work has inspired some to care for our planet. Your support makes it all worthwhile, thank you for being part of my journey.”
It was 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a Western film about two bank robbers, co-starring Paul Newman, that made Redford an overnight star.
But despite his success, Redford was never comfortable with his tag as a good-looking heartthrob.
“People have been so busy relating to how I look, it’s a miracle I didn’t become a self-conscious blob of protoplasm. It’s not easy being Robert Redford,” he once told New York magazine.
He teamed up again with Newman for crime caper The Sting in 1973, also considered a classic.
But despite their long-running friendship and on-screen chemistry, the pair never appeared on screen together again.
Source: ameyawdebrah.com/
