Robert Redford Dies at 89: Movies, Oscar Wins, Wife & Legendary Career

Charles Robert Redford Jr., born August 18, 1936, passed away on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. His death has triggered an outpouring of tributes across Hollywood, the independent film community, and environmental circles. He died at his beloved Sundance home in Utah, “surrounded by those he loved,” according to his publicist.

Redford was more than a handsome leading man; he was a guiding force behind the rise of American independent cinema, the champion of climate preservation, and an artist who constantly reinvented himself. In remembering him, we look back at his early years, his monumental film and television work, his Oscar-winning directorial ambitions, the woman who walked beside him, and the legacy he leaves behind.

Robert Redford Wiki & Early Life

Born in Santa Monica, California, Redford grew up partly in Los Angeles and partly in the rural West, forging an affinity with nature early on. He first caught audiences’ attention with stage work and small television parts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, before breaking through in films. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Redford would become one of film’s defining figures.

Robert Redford‘s years of activity (1959–2025) encompassed not just acting but producing, directing, and institution building.

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Robert Redford Age & Final Years

At 89, Robert Redford, Oscar-winning actor and director, dies at 89. Explore his movies, wife, iconic films, awards, and lasting Hollywood legacy. Learn everything. had passed many of his contemporaries. Though age inevitably slowed his on-screen presence, he remained engaged through mentorship and institutional work. In recent years he sold his California property to focus more on his Utah and New Mexico life with his wife. His death marks the close of a chapter not just in his life, but in an era of Hollywood where the traditional star/director hybrid was rare.

Robert Redford Movies & Signature Films

Robert Redford’s film legacy is rich, deep, and varied — from charismatic outlaw to troubled lead to contemplative elder actor. Among his most enduring works:

• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) — This classic western solidified his image as a charming rogue opposite Paul Newman, and cemented his place in Hollywood lore.
• The Sting (1973) — Another pairing with Newman, this caper film won acclaim and box office success.
• The Way We Were (1973) — A romantic drama co-starring Barbra Streisand, beloved by audiences for its emotional resonance.
• All the President’s Men (1976) — A political thriller that showed Redford’s ability to anchor serious, socially relevant cinema.
• Ordinary People (1980) — His first major directorial success, this film won him an Oscar for Best Director and multiple Academy Awards including Best Picture.
• The Old Man & the Gun (2018) — This became his final filmed movie role, a subtle and reflective capstone to his acting career.
• Truth (2015) — In later years, Redford played roles exploring journalism and moral complexity.
• Up Close & Personal (1996) — A romantic drama showing his versatility as a lead opposite Michelle Pfeiffer.

Throughout these films, Redford’s choices revealed his evolving priorities: character, integrity, and emotional depth.

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Oscar Winning Actor & Director, Then Death

While Redford was nominated multiple times for acting, his greatest recognition came behind the camera. His direction of Ordinary People earned him the Best Director Oscar, and the film itself swept several Academy Awards.

In 2002, he also received an Honorary Oscar for his lifetime contributions to film.

Robert Redford’s death, in a poignant turn, adds a final footnote to a life built on cinematic craft. As news spread — through Hollywood, indie circuits, and media worldwide — tributes poured in from actors, directors, and environmentalists alike.

Robert Redford Films & Directorial Work

Redford’s credits aren’t simply actor appearances; they include a robust portfolio as a director and producer. He used his stature to push smaller, auteur-driven projects and nurture new voices.

He actively championed independent filmmaking, founding the Sundance Institute and running the Sundance Film Festival, which became a launch pad for many modern voices in cinema.

Robert Redford’s films ranged from large studio works to deeply personal dramas — and his ability to shift between commercial and art film contexts was part of his defining success.

Robert Redford Wife: The Woman Beside the Legend

Robert Redford was married twice. His first marriage was to Lola Van Wagenen in 1958; they divorced in 1985 after having four children (two of whom passed away).

In 2009 Robert Redford married wife, Sibylle Szaggars, a German multimedia artist and environmental activist. Szaggars had previously worked with nature and art; their relationship was relatively private, though Redford praised her influence and depth.

Following his death, Szaggars becomes a central figure in preserving Redford’s legacy. Their partnership bridged art, environmentalism, and life, and she is part of how Redford’s later years were characterized — more quiet, more contemplative, more committed to values beyond studio lights.

News Highlights Around Robert Redford’s Death & Unsolved Family Tragedy

Redford’s passing revived public interest in one of his family’s most enduring sorrows: the unsolved murder of Sid Wells, who was dating Redford’s daughter Shauna back in 1983. The FBI has renewed reward offers and appealed for fresh leads, bringing attention back to the long-cold case.

Also across media outlets, tributes flooded in. Barbra Streisand, Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda, and many others called Redford a “lion of cinema,” a mentor, a craftsman, and a man whose aura extended far beyond his marquee name.

His contributions to environmental causes and indie film advocacy were especially emphasized, with commentators noting that his death doesn’t diminish Sundance’s power or the institutions he built — but rather sanctifies them.

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Legacy: The Young Spirit, the Enduring Influence

Redford often spoke about still being young at heart. He once remarked that image, glamour, and youth can be illusions — that true longevity comes from evolving, from staying curious, from enabling others to speak. Many of his later projects reflected that philosophy.

His name will live on in the continued vitality of the Sundance Institute, in countless filmmakers who got their start on its stages, and in the films he left behind. The world may have lost his physical presence, but in every frame, every festival, every mountain-park preserved by activism — the spirit of Redford endures.