Remembering the late Robert Redford — Actor, Director, Activist and Independent Film Legend
Widely-celebrated actor, director and patriarch of independent film Robert Redford sadly passed away at the age of 89 on September 16 in his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah.
Redford initially garnered fame from his starring role in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” a monumental 1969 western also starring screen legend Paul Newman. He became a household name in the early 1970s with films such as “The Candidate” and “The Sting” (in which Redford was paired with Newman yet again).
Not only was Redford highly regarded for his acting prowess, but he was also admired for his striking good looks and iconic blond hair — audience members swooned over him for decades. In 1974, Redford’s good looks, charm and rising popularity would land him the infamous role of Jay Gatsby in Jack Clayton’s film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby.”
What Redford might be celebrated for most of all is his work in independent film, specifically his role in the realization of the legendary Sundance Film Festival. In 1978, Redford was the main founder in what was initially called the Utah/US Film Festival, which hoped to bring directors and producers to the state. Later assuming the name of Reford’s character in the aforementioned “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” the Sundance Film Festival became a haven for independent filmmakers looking to promote their work outside of the general Hollywood production system.
Since then the festival has screened defining works of American independent film, including “Y tu mamá también,” “Little Miss Sunshine” and the Coen brothers’ directorial debut “Blood Simple.” The next Sundance Film Festival is scheduled to take place January 22 to February 1, 2026.
On top of his career in film, Redford was a dedicated environmental philanthropist. He worked closely with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) for almost 50 years to fight for public land preservation. Redford’s contributions to the NRDC were so extensive that the company renamed their headquarters in his birthplace, Santa Monica, California, after him in 2003. The actor also founded The Redford Center, a nonprofit that uses film and storytelling to empower the environmental movement.
American film director Sydney Pollack once described Redford as “an interesting metaphor for America; a golden boy with darkness in him.” As glamorous and successful as Redford’s film career was, his personal life was riddled with tragedy. In 1959, Redford’s two month old son, Scott, passed away from SIDS. Over six decades later, Redford would lose another son, James, to cancer.
“Something like that doesn’t get completely dismissed. It probably shows up in various small ways you’re not even aware of,” Redford once said about the death of his first born. Despite his strong bravado on and off the big screen, many notice a quiet shadow present in much of his work. This is apparent in both his acting and his directing, but is arguably most noticeable in his 1980 directorial debut, “Ordinary People,” a bleak family drama about grief and rehabilitation.
Despite Barbara Streisand’s famous description of Redford as “the blond, suntanned California guy, surfing and riding horses,” Redford made an active effort to reject this overly simplistic impression of him. Unlike his character in the 1973 Streisand-led film “The Way We Were,” Redford was a dedicated leftist early in his career, and made sure his work had both political and cultural meaning. Some even claimed that his role (along with Dustin Hoffman’s) in “All the President’s Men” helped sway America in favor of democratic nominee Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential election that occurred seven months after the film’s release.
Redford left behind a legacy of revolutionary filmmaking, and his impact on cinema will undoubtedly be felt for centuries to come. But even beyond that, Redford exemplified lifelong commitment to sticking up for the little guy — whether by promoting independent film or climate activism, Redford was never afraid to fight for what he believed in.
The Independent Magazine would like to extend our gratitude to Mr. Redford for all he has done for the independent film community.
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