Oscar winner Robert Redford, who became a champion of independent film, dies at 89
the Hollywood golden boy who became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-loved characters, died Tuesday at 89.
Redford died 鈥渁t his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah 鈥� the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved,鈥� publicist Cindi Berger said in a statement. No cause of death was provided.
Redford was one of the biggest stars of the 鈥�70s with such films as 鈥淭he Candidate,鈥� 鈥淎ll the President鈥檚 Men鈥� and 鈥淭he Way We Were,鈥� capping that decade with the best director Oscar for 1980's best picture winner, 鈥淥rdinary People.鈥�
His wavy blond hair and boyish grin made him the most desired of leading men, but he worked hard to transcend his looks 鈥� whether through his political advocacy, his willingness to take on unglamorous roles or his dedication to providing a platform for low-budget movies.
His roles ranged from Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward to a double agent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his co-stars included Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise. But his most famous screen partner was his old friend their films a variation of their warm, teasing off-screen relationship. Redford played the wily outlaw opposite Newman in 1969鈥檚 鈥淏utch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,鈥� a box-office smash from which Redford's Sundance Institute and festival got its name.
He also teamed with Newman on 1973鈥檚 best picture Oscar winner, 鈥淭he Sting,鈥� which earned Redford a best actor nomination as a young con artist in 1930s Chicago.
Film roles after the 鈥�70s became more sporadic as Redford concentrated on directing and producing and his new role as patriarch of the independent-film movement.
He starred in 1985鈥檚 best picture champion 鈥淥ut of Africa鈥� and in 2013 received some of the best reviews of his career as a shipwrecked sailor in 鈥淎ll is Lost,鈥� in which he was the film鈥檚 only performer. In 2018, he was praised again in what he called his farewell movie, 鈥淭he Old Man and the Gun.鈥�
鈥淚 figure now as I鈥檓 getting into my 80s, it鈥檚 maybe time to move toward retirement and spend more time with my wife and family," he told The Associated Press
Redford had watched Hollywood grow more cautious and controlling during the 1970s and wanted to recapture the creative spirit of the early part of the decade. Sundance was created to nurture new talent away from the pressures of Hollywood. The institute and festival based in Park City, Utah, became a place of discovery for such previously unknown filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Paul Thomas Anderson and Darren Aronofsky.
鈥淔or me, the word to be underscored is 鈥榠ndependence,鈥欌�� Redford told the AP in 2018. 鈥淚鈥檝e always believed in that word. That鈥檚 what led to me eventually wanting to create a category that supported independent artists who weren鈥檛 given a chance to be heard."
By 2025, the festival had become so prominent that organizers starting in 2027.
Redford鈥檚 affinity for the outdoors was well captured in 鈥淎 River Runs Through It鈥� and other films and through his decades of advocacy for the environment, inspired in part by witnessing the transformation of Los Angeles into a city of smog and freeways. His activities ranged from lobbying for the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to serving on the board of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Born in Aug. 18, 1936 in Santa Monica, California, Redford attended college on a baseball scholarship and would later star as a middle-aged slugger in 1984鈥檚 鈥淭he Natural,鈥� the adaptation of Bernard Malamud鈥檚 novel. He had an early interest in drawing and painting and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He debuted on Broadway in the late 1950s before moving into television on such shows as 鈥淭he Twilight Zone,鈥� 鈥淎lfred Hitchcock Presents鈥� and 鈥淭he Untouchables.鈥�
Redford was married twice, most recently to Sibylle Szaggars. He had four children, two of whom have died 鈥� Scott Anthony, who died in infancy, in 1959; and activist and fimmaker who died in 2020.
Redford also appeared in several political narratives. He satirized campaigning as an idealist running for U.S. senator in 鈥淭he Candidate鈥� and uttered one of the more memorable closing lines, 鈥淲hat do we do now?鈥� after his character manages to win. He starred as in 1976鈥檚 鈥淎ll the President鈥檚 Men,鈥� the story of the Washington Post reporters whose Watergate investigation helped bring down President Richard Nixon.
His biggest filmmaking triumph came with his directing debut on 鈥淥rdinary People,鈥� which beat Martin Scorsese鈥檚 classic 鈥淩aging Bull鈥� at the Oscars.
Redford鈥檚 other directing efforts included 鈥淭he Horse Whisperer,鈥� 鈥淭he Milagro Beanfield War鈥� and 1994's 鈥淨uiz Show,鈥� the last of which also earned best picture and director Oscar nominations.
鈥淭he idea of the outlaw has always been very appealing to me. If you look at some of the films, it鈥檚 usually having to do with the outlaw sensibility, which I think has probably been my sensibility. I think I was just born with it,鈥� Redford said in 2018. 鈥淔rom the time I was just a kid, I was always trying to break free of the bounds that I was stuck with, and always wanted to go outside.鈥�
Associated Press journalists Hillel Italie, Jake Coyle and Mallika Sen contributed to this report. Bob Thomas, a longtime Associated Press journalist who died in 2014, was the principal writer of this obituary.
