Hollywood star Robert Redford dies at the age of 89

Emma SaundersCulture reporterWatch: The Sundance Child’s life within the spotlightUS performing legend Redford, greatest recognized for roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child and The Sting, has died on the age of 89.In an announcement, his publicist Cindi Berger, mentioned: “Robert Redford handed away on September 16 at his house at Sundance within the mountains of Utah – the place he cherished, surrounded by these he cherished. He shall be missed enormously. The household requests privateness.”Tributes have been paid to the Oscar-winning star by actors together with Meryl Streep and Jane Fonda.Redford, additionally well-known for founding Utah’s Sundance Movie Competition, gained a greatest director Oscar in 1980 for Strange Individuals. He introduced his retirement from performing in 2018, having mentioned in 2016 that he was “bored with performing”.Getty ImagesRobert Redford died at his house within the mountains of Utah – “the place he cherished”, his publicist saidHollywood actress Streep, who co-starred with him in Out of Africa, led the tributes, saying: “One of many lions has handed. Relaxation in peace my pretty buddy.”Fonda, a lifelong buddy of Redford who starred alongside him in movies comparable to 1967’s romcom Barefoot within the Park, mentioned he “was a fantastic particular person in each means.””It hit me arduous this morning after I learn that Bob was gone. I am unable to cease crying. He meant so much to me and was a fantastic particular person in each means. He stood for an America now we have to maintain preventing for,” she added.Director Ron Howard, writing on X, described Redford as “a tremendously influential cultural determine” and an “inventive gamechanger”, whereas actor Colman Domingo posted: “With love and admiration. Thanks Mr Redford on your eternal influence. Can be felt for generations. RIP.”Chatting with the BBC, actor Leonardo DiCaprio described Redford as “an absolute legend” and mentioned that his dying is a “horrible loss”.”Not solely was he an amazing actor and did unimaginable political movies, he was an unimaginable environmentalist too. He was a hero to numerous us. It is an amazing loss.”Jamie Lee Curtis posted on Threads: “A life! Household. Artwork. Transformation. Advocacy. Creation. Legacy. Thanks Robert Redford.”US President Donald Trump instructed journalists as he left the White Home on Tuesday that “Robert Redford had a collection of years the place there was no one higher. There was a time frame when he was the most popular. I believed he was nice.”Former secretary of state and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton described Redford as a “true American icon”.Posting on Instagram, she mentioned: “I all the time admired Robert Redford, not just for his legendary profession as an actor and director however for what got here subsequent.”He championed progressive values like defending the atmosphere and entry to the humanities whereas creating alternatives for brand new generations of activists and filmmakers.”Getty ImagesButch Cassidy and the Sundance Child turned its stars Redford and Paul Newman into international starsIt was 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child, a Western movie about two financial institution robbers, co-starring Paul Newman, that made Redford an in a single day star. However regardless of his success, Redford was by no means snug together with his tag as a handsome heartthrob.”Individuals have been so busy referring to how I look, it is a miracle I did not change into a self-conscious blob of protoplasm. It isn’t simple being Robert Redford,” he as soon as instructed New York journal.He teamed up once more with Newman for crime caper The Sting in 1973, additionally thought of a basic.However regardless of their long-running friendship and on-screen chemistry, the pair by no means appeared on display screen collectively once more.Getty ImagesButch Cassidy and the Sundance child’s author, William Goldman, initially dismissed Redford as “simply one other California blonde”Redford’s largest contribution to movie was arguably Sundance Movie Competition, which helped increase impartial film-making within the late 80s and early 90s, to rival the interval which launched his profession.Movies that premiered at Sundance and went onto big success embrace 4 Weddings and a Funeral, Treasured, Manchester by the Sea, Little Miss Sunshine, The Blair Witch Challenge and Get Out.In 2014, Redford spoke to the BBC concerning the competition, saying on the time: “I did not need to do it in New York or LA… I mentioned, let’s put it in Utah, let’s make it arduous to get to. Let’s make it bizarre.”We began Sundance as a spot to return and develop new artists, with the ambition of making a group and giving them a platform for his or her work. I do not assume our mission has modified in any respect,” he defined.”Thirty years in the past, these individuals had nowhere to go. Now I am very proud that really, the administrators of Gravity and American Hustle – Alfonso Cuaron and David O Russell – truly got here up by way of Sundance, and now they work within the mainstream.”Lots of the movies that make it to the Oscars had been helped by Sundance alongside the way in which.”Our movie, Coda, got here to the eye of everybody due to Sundance,” wrote actress Marlee Matlin, who starred within the movie.”Sundance occurred due to Robert Redford. A genius has handed. RIP Robert.”Coda went on to win greatest image on the Academy Awards in 2022.On-screen chemistryRedford’s different roles included The Candidate, All of the President’s Males, Indecent Proposal and The Manner We Had been.He additionally turned his hand to directing, together with A River Runs By means of It, starring Brad Pitt, in 1992, Quiz Present (1994) and The Horse Whisperer (1998), through which he starred reverse Scarlett Johansson and Kristin Scott Thomas.Redford was additionally a eager environmental campaigner.He leaves behind his spouse Sibylle Szaggars who he married in 2009, based on CBS Information. He had beforehand been married to Lola Van Wagenen – the couple had 4 youngsters earlier than divorcing in 1995.One in every of their youngsters, Scott, died on the age of two months from sudden toddler dying syndrome, CBS stories, and James, died of most cancers in 2020.He’s survived by two daughters – Shauna, an artist, and Amy, a director.