Sundance, Utah – September 16, 2025 – Robert Redford, the golden-haired heartthrob who captivated generations with his roles in timeless classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President’s Men, has died at the age of 89. The legendary actor, director, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival passed away early Tuesday morning at his beloved home in the mountains outside Provo, Utah.
According to a statement from his publicist, Cindi Berger, chairman and CEO of Rogers & Cowan PMK, Redford “passed away on Sept. 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved.” He will be missed greatly, the family said, requesting privacy during this time.
No official cause of death has been disclosed, though Berger confirmed to multiple outlets, including The New York Times and People magazine, that Redford died peacefully in his sleep. The 89-year-old, born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, had not publicly shared any recent health struggles. Rumors circulating on social media about underlying illnesses remain unverified and unconfirmed by his representatives.
Redford’s death marks the end of an era for Hollywood. Rising to fame in the 1960s, he became synonymous with the American cinematic ideal—rugged, introspective, and effortlessly charismatic. His breakout role as the Sundance Kid opposite Paul Newman in the 1969 Western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid not only launched him into superstardom but also inspired the name of his iconic film festival. The film, a box-office smash, earned Redford his first Oscar nomination and cemented his status as a leading man.
Throughout his seven-decade career, Redford starred in a string of hits that blended entertainment with social commentary. He portrayed journalist Bob Woodward in the 1976 thriller All the President’s Men, which chronicled the Watergate scandal and earned him another Academy Award nomination. Other memorable roles included the romantic lead in The Way We Were (1973) with Barbra Streisand and the con artist opposite Newman again in The Sting (1973), which won him his sole acting Oscar nomination.
Behind the camera, Redford’s influence was even more profound. He directed the 1980 family drama Ordinary People, winning the Oscar for Best Director and earning Best Picture honors for the film. But his true legacy lies in championing independent cinema through the Sundance Institute, founded in 1981. The annual Sundance Film Festival became a launchpad for groundbreaking filmmakers, discovering talents like Quentin Tarantino and the Coen brothers, and fostering stories outside Hollywood’s mainstream machine.
Off-screen, Redford was a passionate environmental activist, using his platform to advocate for conservation and Native American rights. He sold his Sundance Resort in 2020 but retained deep ties to the area, where he spent his final days.
Redford leaves behind his wife of 16 years, artist Sibylle Szaggars, whom he married in 2009, and two daughters: painter Shauna Redford and actress/director Amy Redford. He was previously married to Lola Van Wagenen from 1958 to 1985; their son James “Jamie” Redford, a documentary filmmaker and activist, died of bile-duct cancer in 2020 at age 58. Another son, Scott, tragically passed away at two months old in 1959 from sudden infant death syndrome.
Tributes poured in immediately from fellow stars and fans worldwide. Jane Fonda, Redford’s co-star in The Horse Whisperer (1998) and a lifelong friend, posted on X: “I can’t stop crying. Bob was my rock, my inspiration. One of the lions has passed.” Meryl Streep, who worked with him on Out of Africa (1985), called him “a visionary who made movies matter.” Ben Stiller wrote, “No actor more iconic,” while Stephen King simply noted, “Hard to believe he was 89.”
President Donald Trump, en route to the UK, briefly commented to reporters: “Robert Redford was a great American talent. Sad day for Hollywood.”
Redford’s net worth at the time of his death is estimated at around $200 million, amassed through his film career, Sundance ventures, and real estate, according to reports from Parade magazine. He had sold portions of his Sundance catalog and resort in recent years, but details remain private.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced, but given Redford’s love for the outdoors and independent spirit, a private ceremony in Utah is expected. His passing comes just a month after his 89th birthday, leaving a void in the film world but an indelible legacy that will endure through the stories he told and the artists he nurtured.
Rip sir