Tributes pour in as Robert Redford, actor and Sundance founder, dies at 89: 'Artistic game changer'

SUNDANCE, UTAH: Robert Redford, the leading man with golden-boy looks who later became a pioneering force for independent cinema, has died at the age of 89.

Cindi Berger, chief executive of Rogers & Cowan PMK, confirmed that the Oscar-winning actor and director died on September 16 at his Sundance home in Utah, surrounded by loved ones.

Robert Redford's stardom in Hollywood classics

Robert Redford was best known for 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' with Paul Newman, 'All the President’s Men' (1976), 'Three Days of the Condor' (1975), and 'The Sting' (1973).

"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,” Berger said in a statement. “He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy.”

His cause of death was not disclosed.

Redford made his directorial debut with 'Ordinary People' in 1980, a film that went on to win four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

His final screen role came in 2019’s 'Avengers: Endgame,' where he reprised the role of Secretary Alexander Pierce alongside Marvel veterans like Michael Douglas and Tilda Swinton.

Family and personal life of Robert Redford

Redford is survived by his wife, Sibylle Szaggars, and two daughters from his first marriage to Lola Van Wagenen — Shauna and Amy.

He also leaves behind seven grandchildren.

He and Van Wagenen had two sons who died: Scott, who died of sudden infant death syndrome in 1959, and James, a filmmaker and activist who died of cancer in 2020 at the age of 58.

His other milestones included founding the Sundance Film Institute in 1981 after winning an Oscar. Behind the camera, Redford elevated independent film. He took on gritty roles and built the Sundance Film Festival from the ground up.

While the effort put his own career on hold for at least three years, it launched a new independent film movement in the US that gave rise to the filmmaking careers of Steven Soderbergh, Ava DuVernay, Rian Johnson, Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino and more artists over the years.

Before he became the rugged screen icon of the 1970s, Redford grew up in Santa Monica, California. 

Born Charles Robert Redford Jr on August 18, 1937, the all-American heartthrob started out studying art and chasing a future as a painter before turning to acting—eventually landing at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Tributes recall Robert Redford’s extraordinary career

Shortly after news of his death, many in the industry and those who had worked with him shared heartfelt tributes in his memory.

Jane Fonda, who shared the silver screen with Redford on a number of occasions, describes Redford as a "beautiful person in every way."

"It hit me hard this morning when I read that Bob was gone. I can't stop crying," she says in quotes cited by the AFP news agency.

"He meant a lot to me and was a beautiful person in every way. He stood for an America we have to keep fighting for." Fonda has previously admitted to falling in love with him each time they worked together.

“Robert Redford has passed away. He was part of a new and exciting Hollywood in the 70s and 80s. Hard to believe he was 89,” wrote author Stephen King in his tribute.

“RIP Robert Redford, 89. One of the all-time great movie stars. A true Hollywood legend who starred in so many of my favourite films: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, The Way We Were, All The President’s Men. What a career, what an actor, what a sad loss,” shared TV host Piers Morgan.

Actor Meryl Streep remembered her 'Out of Africa' co-star in a moving tribute, saying, "one of the lions has passed."

In a statement shared by her publicist, AFP news agency reports, she adds: "Rest in peace my lovely friend." Streep and Redford worked together on the 1985 film, which was directed by Sydney Pollack. The film won a handful of Academy Awards, including best picture.

Filmmaker Ron Howard, in a tribute to Robert Redford, called him "a tremendously influential cultural figure."

In a post on X, Howard praised his "creative choices" as an actor, producer, and director as well as his work launching the Sundance Film Festival.

As Oscar winner Marlee Matlin wrote on X, “Our film, CODA, came to the attention of everyone because of Sundance. And Sundance happened because of Robert Redford. A genius has passed. RIP Robert."

Rosie O’Donnell shared a photo of Redford and Barbra Streisand from 'The Way We Were' on Instagram, adding, “We will never be the same. Goodnight, Bob. What a legacy.”

Actor Colman Domingo added, “With love and admiration. Thank you Mr Redford for your everlasting impact. Will be felt for generations. RIP.”

Film at Lincoln Center called him “a true icon” in their statement: “Rest in peace to Robert Redford (1936-2025), a true icon of the silver screen, a tireless champion of up-and-coming film artists, and Film at Lincoln Center’s 42nd Chaplin Award Gala recipient in 2015.”

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