New York — Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor and director whose career spanned more than six decades, passed away at his Utah home on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. Robert Redford’s life reflected a rare combination of Hollywood stardom and institutional legacy, most notably through the founding of the Sundance Institute and his long-term environmental activism.
Robert Redford movies such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President’s Men cemented his reputation as a Hollywood icon. He also won an Academy Award for directing Ordinary People in 1980. Redford remained active in film even in his later years, famously stating in 2018 after The Old Man & the Gun that he had “pretty well concluded that this would be it for me” while adding “never say never.” His career highlights, including these Robert Redford movies, underscore his influence on both mainstream cinema and independent filmmaking.
Outside of film, Redford was a committed environmentalist. Serving on the board of the Natural Resources Defense Council for fifty years, he championed conservation initiatives, including co-founding The Redford Center with his late son James in 2005, which integrates environmental advocacy with storytelling. These efforts reinforced his reputation not only as a cultural icon but also as a conscientious activist shaping global conversations around sustainability.
Redford’s personal life remained intentionally private. He lived with his second wife, artist Sibylle Szaggars, on a secluded ranch near Provo, Utah, and was the father of four, including two sons, Scott and James, who predeceased him, and grandfather to seven. His approach to life, balancing public acclaim with quiet familial and environmental commitments, reflected a philosophy he once described as finding thrill in the work itself rather than the recognition.
According to People Magazine, Redford’s death marks the end of an era in Hollywood, but his institutional and cultural influence through the Sundance Institute and his environmental work ensures that his legacy will endure for generations. His pioneering support for independent cinema, mentorship of emerging filmmakers, and decades-long advocacy for climate conservation continue to influence both the film industry and global environmental movements. Robert Redford’s life serves as a blueprint for how celebrity influence can intersect with social and ecological responsibility, leaving an indelible mark beyond the screen and into the fabric of cultural and environmental consciousness.
