Hollywood Icon Robert Redford Dies at 89, Leaves Enduring Legacy

Robert Redford, celebrated actor, director and founder of the Sundance Institute, has died aged 89 at his home in Sundance, Utah. His publicist, Cindi Berger, confirmed he passed away on 16 September 2025 in the place he loved, surrounded by those close to him.


Rising to fame in the 1960s, Redford became a defining figure of Hollywood’s golden era with standout roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and All the President’s Men. Over time he also turned his hand to directing, winning an Academy Award for Best Director for Ordinary People in 1980.


Perhaps his most lasting contribution was his championing of independent film. In 1981, Redford founded the Sundance Institute and its Festival in Utah, institutions that would go on to nurture numerous filmmakers and give voice to storytellers outside the Hollywood mainstream.


Redford’s legacy was also marked by his activism: he was a committed environmentalist and outspoken public figure on civil liberties and political issues. Tributes have poured in from across the entertainment world. Jane Fonda, recalling their years working together, said: “He meant a lot to me and was a beautiful person in every way.” Meryl Streep wrote, “One of the lions has passed.”


Though he gradually stepped back from acting—his final substantial role was in The Old Man & the Gun in 2018—Redford’s influence endured. He had become, in many eyes, the standard-bearer for thoughtful cinema, one which could both entertain and provoke.


He is survived by his wife, Sibylle Szaggars Redford, his children, grandchildren, and a vast community of admirers, filmmakers, colleagues and audiences whose lives his work touched. The family has requested privacy during this time.

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