Los Angeles – Academy Award–winning actor, director, and producer Robert Redford has died at the age of 89, international media reported Monday.
According to family sources, Redford was found unresponsive at his residence when relatives attempted to wake him in the morning. He had been struggling with age-related illnesses and frailty for some time and was under regular medication.
Born in Santa Monica, California, in 1937, Redford began his artistic career as a painter before turning to acting. He made his film debut with Warhunt (1962) and rose to prominence with Barefoot in the Park (1967). His breakout roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973), both opposite Paul Newman, remain iconic in Hollywood history.
Redford’s career spanned acting, directing, and producing. His directorial debut, Ordinary People (1980), won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He also became a key figure in promoting independent cinema through the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, which he founded.
Throughout his career, Redford worked across genres, from romantic dramas like Out of Africa to politically charged films such as All the President’s Men and The Candidate. He challenged his image as Hollywood’s “golden boy” in projects like The Electric Horseman and Indecent Proposal.
Beyond film, Redford was an outspoken environmental activist, supporting organizations including the National Wildlife Federation. His contributions to cinema were recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 2001.
Redford remained active in the industry until 2017, with Our Souls at Night, co-starring Jane Fonda, marking one of his final screen appearances.
He is survived by his wife, German artist Sibylle Szaggars, whom he married in 2009. Redford’s passing marks the end of an era for Hollywood, with tributes already pouring in from across the world.
