Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, and tireless champion of independent film, died peacefully in his sleep on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. According to his longtime publicist Cindi Berger, Redford passed away at his home in Sundance, Utah, surrounded by family. No cause of death has been publicly released.
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, Redford’s early life was marked by both struggle and promise. He faced academic setbacks, lost a college baseball scholarship due to drinking, and spent a period drifting through Europe before returning to the U.S. to study art and later acting. These formative experiences shaped his independent spirit—something that would define his career both in front of and behind the camera.
Redford’s breakthrough came in the 1960s with roles in television and then on Broadway. But it was the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, opposite Paul Newman, that catapulted him into superstardom. He followed that with a string of critical and commercial successes, including The Sting, The Way We Were, All the President’s Men, and Three Days of the Condor. His trademark charm, golden looks, and understated acting style made him one of the defining actors of his generation.
However, Redford was never content to remain just a movie star. He turned to directing with his debut film Ordinary People in 1980, which won him an Academy Award for Best Director. He would go on to direct and produce several more films, often focusing on themes of family, politics, and the environment.
Perhaps Redford’s most lasting legacy beyond the screen is the Sundance Film Festival, which he founded in 1985. Originally intended to showcase independent American filmmaking, Sundance grew into one of the world’s premier film festivals, launching the careers of countless directors and putting a global spotlight on independent cinema.
Redford’s life was not without tragedy. He lost his infant son Scott to sudden infant death syndrome in 1959, and in 2020, his son James—known as Jamie—died of cancer at age 58. These personal losses shaped much of his later work and advocacy, including environmental activism and support for public health causes.
Redford retired from acting after his final performance in The Old Man & the Gun (2018), though he remained involved in producing and mentoring young filmmakers through Sundance. He was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and received numerous lifetime achievement honors.
He is survived by his wife, environmental activist Sibylle Szaggars Redford, daughters Shauna and Amy Redford, and several grandchildren. While his physical presence is gone, Robert Redford leaves behind an indelible mark on American film and culture—a legacy of artistic integrity, quiet rebellion, and a deep belief in the power of storytelling.
