'One of the lions has passed': Hollywood remembers Robert Redford as he dies aged 89

Summary

Hollywood icon Robert Redford has died at age 89
Redford died earlier today "at Sundance in the mountains of Utah - the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved," his publicist confirms
"One of the lions has passed," writes Meryl Streep in a tribute, as American director Ron Howard says he was an "artistic gamechanger"
The retired actor turned director starred in movies like Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid and All The President's Men
He founded the Sundance Film Festival, which takes place annually in Utah since 1978

Live Reporting

Edited by Johanna Chisholm

'One of the lions has passed,' says Meryl Streeppublished at 15:04 BST
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Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Robert Redford and Meryl Streep during production for the film Out Of Africa
Actor Meryl Streep has remembered her Out of Africa co-star in a moving tribute, saying "one of the lions has passed".
In a statement shared by her publicist, AFP news agency reports, she adds: "Rest in peace my lovely friend."
Streep and Redford worked together on the 1985 film, which was directed by Sydney Pollack.
The film won a handful of Academy Awards, including best picture.
'Artistic gamechanger': Director Ron Howard praises Redford's legacypublished at 15:00 BST

Filmmaker Ron Howard is the latest to issue a tribute to Robert Redford, who he calls "a tremendously influential cultural figure".
In a post on X, Howard praises his "creative choices" as an actor, producer and director as well as his work launching the Sundance Film Festival.
"Artistic Gamechanger," he adds.
Trump reacts to Redford's deathpublished at 14:56 BST
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC

We've just briefly heard from US President Donald Trump, who was told of Robert Redford's death by reporters just before boarding Marine One to begin his trip to the UK.
"Robert Redford had a series of years where there was nobody better," Trump said. "There was a period of time when he was the hottest. I thought he was great."
Trump did not address Redford's previous criticism of Trump, who he described as "dictator-like" in a column written for NBC in 2019.
"Our shared tolerance and respect for the truth, our sacred rule of law, our essential freedom of the press and our precious freedoms of speech — all have been threatened by a single man," Redford wrote at the time, during Trump's first term as president.
He was one of the biggest movie stars on planetpublished at 14:51 BST
Colin Paterson
Entertainment correspondent

I think Sundance Festival will be one of the things that Redford will be proudest of.
It was 1981 when he set up the Sundance Institute, he had just won best director at the Oscars for Ordinary People.
He could have done whatever he liked with his career at that point, and that is what he chose to do - set up this film festival to encourage independent cinema.
But when you look back at his career, it is that spell in the 1970s when he was the biggest movie star on the planet.
What a movie star he was, every year the cinema owners in the US voted for who is the biggest movie star on the planet.
They went for Robert Redford three years in a row in the middle of the 70s.
'He was part of a new and exciting Hollywood'published at 14:47 BST

Image source, Reuters
With the news of Redford's passing, more commemorations for the famed Hollywood actor are starting to come through.
Canadian actor William Shatner writes, "condolences to the family of Robert Redford," while author Stephen King describes Redford as being "part of a new and exciting Hollywood in the 70s and 80s".
"Hard to believe he was 89," King adds.
'A true Hollywood legend' - Piers Morganpublished at 14:33 BST

Another tribute for "one of the all-time great movie stars", writes Piers Morgan.
"A true Hollywood legend who starred in so many of my favourite films: Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, The Sting, The Way We Were, All The President’s Men," he adds.
"What a career, what an actor, what a sad loss."
'A truly great movie star' - Noel Fieldingpublished at 14:27 BST

Comedian and actor Noel Fielding is among those to have written a tribute to Redford this afternoon.
Posting on Instagram, he writes: "RIP Robert Redford ! A truly great movie star ⭐So handsome my eyes hurt looking at you x x"
A champion of independent filmpublished at 14:22 BST

Image source, Getty Images
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Redford, pictured here at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002,
As we just mentioned, independent filmmakers have are already begun sharing the impact that Robert Redford had in shaping their careers.
Redford founded non-profit organisation the Sundance Institute in 1981 - with its website explaining his aim was to "foster independence, risk-taking, and new voices in American film".
The year it began, the website adds, ten emerging filmmakers were invited to the Sundance resort to work on their projects alongside writers, directors and actors.
In 1985, the Institute took control of the US Film Festival - screening 86 films that year.
In 2014, Redford spoke with the BBC about the festival - saying at the time: "I didn't want to do it in New York or LA [...] I said, let's put it in Utah, let's make it hard to get to. Let's make it weird."
"We started Sundance as a place to come and develop new artists, with the ambition of creating a community and giving them a platform for their work. I don't think our mission has changed at all," he explained.
"Thirty years ago, these people had nowhere to go. Now I'm very proud that actually, the directors of Gravity and American Hustle, Alfonso Cuaron and David O Russell, actually came up through Sundance, and now they work in the mainstream."
- You can read more in our piece from the time.
'A genius has passed': Independent filmmakers remember Redford's influencepublished at 14:17 BST
Regan Morris
Reporting from Los Angeles

Robert Redford was a movie star, but for independent filmmakers, he was so much more.
The Sundance Institute was life changing for many filmmakers. To get a film into Sundance or to be accepted to work at the Sundance Lab and workshop a film, came with mentorship and publicity and opportunities.
So many of the films that make it to the Oscar’s were helped by Sundance along the way.
“Our film, CODA, came to the attention of everyone because of Sundance," writes actor Marlee Matlin on X.
“Sundance happened because of Robert Redford. A genius has passed. RIP Robert.”
CODA went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2022.
In pictures: Redford's most iconic filmspublished at 14:13 BST

With the news that one of Hollywood's most famous film actors, Robert Redford, has died, let's take a look back at some of his best-known film roles.
Image source, Rex/Shutterstock
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In 1976, Redford and Dustin Hoffman played reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in All The President's Men, a political thriller about how the Watergate scandal was exposed
Image source, Rex/Shutterstock
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Sydney Pollack's Out Of Africa (1985), with Meryl Streep, won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director
Image source, Rex/Shutterstock
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Comedy drama A Walk In The Woods (2015), with Nick Nolte, was an adaptation of travel writer Bill Bryson's autobiographical book of the same name
Image source, Rex/Shutterstock
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Redford and Jane Fonda starred in the romantic drama Our Souls At Night (2017). It was their fourth film together
Redford - recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom - 'shaped nation's cultural heritage'published at 14:01 BST

Image source, Getty Images
Robert Redford received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, which was awarded by former US President Barack Obama.
During the presentation ceremony, it was said of Redford that "his art and activism continue to shape our nation's cultural heritage, inspiring millions to laugh, cry, think, and change".
His citation continued:
"Robert Redford has captivated audiences from both sides of the camera through entertaining motion pictures that often explored vital social, political, and historical themes.
"His lifelong advocacy on behalf of preserving our environment will prove as an enduring legacy as will his pioneering support for independent filmmakers across America."
Redford leaves behind wife and childrenpublished at 13:48 BST

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Robert Redford and his wife Sibylle are pictured on the red carpet in 2018.
Robert Redford leaves behind his wife Sibylle Szaggars who he married in 2009.
He had previously been married to Lola Van Wagenen - the couple had four children before divorcing in 1985.
Their son James, also a filmmaker and environmental activist, died of cancer in 2020 at the age of 58.
One of their children, Scott, died at the age of two months from sudden infant death syndrome.
He is survived by two daughters - Shauna, an artist, and Amy, a director.
A Hollywood icon turned directorpublished at 13:37 BST

Image source, Reuters
Robert Redford was known for his roles in The Sting and Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, and won an Oscar as a director.
Born in Los Angeles county, he began appearing on stage in the late 1950s, before starting a television career in 1960 and making his film debut in War Hunt.
He received an Oscar nomination for best actor for his performance in The Sting in 1973.
In 1980, he made his directorial debut with Ordinary People, which won four Academy Awards, including best picture and best director.
He won an honorary lifetime achievement Oscar in 2002.
Redford was also known for founding the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, promoting independent films.
In 2018, he announced the film, The Old Man and The Gun, would be his last onscreen role.
Redford in picturespublished at 13:33 BST

Image source, Getty Images
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Redford, pictured here in 1960
Image source, Getty Images
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Robert Redford and wife Lola attend the 53rd Academy Awardsin Los Angeles in the early 1980s
Image source, Getty Images
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Redford pictured in 1988
Image source, Getty Images
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Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as Woodward and Bernstein, the reporters who broke the Watergate scandal, in All the President's Men
Redford died in the mountains of Utah, surrounded by those he loved - publicistpublished at 13:29 BST

Robert Redford's publicist Cindi Berger says the actor died earlier today at his home "at Sundance in the mountains of Utah - the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved."
"He will be missed greatly," Berger says, adding that the family are requesting privacy.
Robert Redford dies age 89published at 13:23 BST
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Robert Redford, the Hollywood icon turned director, dies at the age of 89.
Image source, Getty Images