Oscar-Winning Star Robert Redford Passes On Peacefully At 89
By Chukwudi Onyewuchi on September 16, 2025 at 11:15 AM EDT
Hollywood has lost one of its greatest legends. Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor and director who helped shape modern film, passed away early Tuesday morning at his home in Utah, aged 89.
His longtime publicist confirmed that he died peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his loved ones.
Known for his golden looks, thoughtful films, and years of dedication to the arts and the environment, Redford leaves behind a career and legacy that touched millions across the world.
Robert Redford’s Peaceful Final Days In Utah
Cindi Berger, head of Rogers & Cowan PMK, shared the news of Redford’s passing, telling The New York Times that he had been “in the place he loved surrounded by those he loved.”
The mountains of Utah had long been his safe place, far away from Hollywood’s bright lights.
Redford once admitted that nature gave him peace and balance.
“I discovered how important nature was in my life, and I wanted to be where nature was extreme and where I thought it could maybe be everlasting,” he said years ago, per the Daily Mail.
Redford’s Journey From A Leading Man To A Respected Director
During the height of his acting career, Robert Redford was one of Hollywood’s most amazing stars.
He rose to fame with unforgettable roles in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Sting,” and “All the President’s Men,” becoming both a romantic idol and a serious actor who brought cultural issues to life.
Critics praised his screen presence, with Pauline Kael once writing in The New Yorker that he had “never been so radiantly glamorous” as he was in “The Way We Were” alongside Barbra Streisand.
Despite his success, Redford was never satisfied with being just a movie star.
In 1980, he won an Academy Award for directing “Ordinary People,” a raw and emotional drama that went on to win Best Picture.
He continued to direct films with powerful themes, including “A River Runs Through It” and “Quiz Show,” proving he could tell stories that mattered both in front of and behind the camera.
Robert Redford Built Sundance Into A Global Film Hub
One of Redford’s biggest achievements wasn’t on screen but behind the scenes.
In 1981, he founded the Sundance Institute to help young filmmakers. Just a few years later, he took over a small film festival in Utah and renamed it Sundance.
Over time, it grew into one of the most important festivals in the world. Directors like Quentin Tarantino, Ava DuVernay, Steven Soderbergh, and Ryan Coogler all kick-started their careers at Sundance.
The festival also became a key place for documentaries on big issues like climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice.
Still, the producer worried that the event was becoming too commercial.
According to The New York Times, at the 2012 festival, he said he wanted the “vodka brands and the gift-bag people and the Paris Hiltons” to disappear.
For him, Sundance was always about creativity, not celebrity parties.
Redford Was A Voice For Nature
Beyond Hollywood, Robert Redford was a lifelong defender of the environment.
In the 1970s, he fought against projects in Utah that would have harmed the land, like a coal-fired power plant and a six-lane highway.
He also spent more than 30 years as a trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council, supporting efforts to fight climate change.
Though he never liked being called an activist, Redford used his fame to push for change.
In a 2024 interview with Orion Magazine, he encouraged young filmmakers to tell hopeful stories about protecting the planet.
“It has to be a good story to be a good film,” he explained. “And the stories need to be encouraging in some way so that people feel motivated or inspired to care or do something about it.”
Inside Robert Redford’s Awards, Family, And A Lasting Legacy
Over his career, Redford won nearly every major award in film.
He earned an Oscar for directing, multiple Golden Globes, and in 2016, former president Barack Obama gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.
However, while his trophy shelf was full, Redford often spoke more about family than fame.
He was married twice, first to historian Lola Van Wagenen, with whom he had four children, and later to German artist Sibylle Szaggars.
His children also entered creative fields, continuing the Redford name in the arts.
Even in his later years, the legend kept acting, appearing in films like “A Walk in the Woods.”
Now, as fans and colleagues share their tributes, it is clear his influence will never fade. His passing marks the end of an era, but his story will live on.
