Robert Redford Dead at 89

Robert Redford famously attempted to retire once, but he simply couldn’t stay away from acting – it seems quitting isn’t his strong suit.

Shortly after first mentioning his plans to retire in 2018, he explained to *The New York Times* that he didn’t see himself truly stopping work, but rather transitioning to new challenges.

The talented actor and director lived a full life, passing away on September 16th at the age of 89. Throughout his long career, he appeared in many memorable films, including *All the President’s Men*, *The Sting*, *The Natural*, and *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid*, and also directed acclaimed movies such as *Ordinary People*.

I… I just heard. His publicist actually *confirmed* it to NBC News. It says he died at his home in Sundance, up in the mountains of Utah. Sundance! Like, where he always found peace… It just doesn’t seem real. I can’t believe he’s gone.

According to his publicist in a statement released on September 16th, he passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends. They have asked for privacy during this difficult time and he will be deeply missed.

Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, to Charles Sr. and Martha, Redford spent his childhood in Santa Monica during the 1940s. He was a naturally talented athlete, but also a bit of a troublemaker who frequently skipped class.

Robert Redford admitted he wasn’t always a focused student. In a 2013 NPR interview, he described daydreaming and doodling in class, realizing traditional learning wasn’t for him. He believed his true education would come from experiencing the world – traveling, learning about different cultures and languages, and having adventures. He felt these experiences would be his real education.

Wanting to get out of California, he started college at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

In a 1998 interview with The New Yorker, Redford confessed he was unhappy at the time. He was drinking and constantly talked about wanting to travel to Europe, fantasizing about artists like Utrillo, Matisse, and Braque and wanting to experience the places they had. He felt a strong need to escape Los Angeles, but he realized Colorado wasn’t distant enough to provide the change he was seeking.

In 1956, he left school and traveled to Europe, hoping to broaden his knowledge and experience.

Redford explained that his trip to Europe coincided with a period of self-discovery. He described it as a sudden awakening, saying he felt like he was seeing things clearly for the first time. After a youth spent playing sports and getting into mischief, everything suddenly made sense. He began carrying a notepad with him everywhere, sketching and writing down his thoughts, and realized he’d developed a new sense of awareness.

Oh, when he came back, he lived in Los Angeles for a little while, and that’s where he met *her* – Lola Van Wagenen! They fell in love and got married, and I was SO thrilled for him. They had four beautiful children together over their 30 years as husband and wife. First came Scott, a sweet little boy, but my heart broke to hear he was only with us for two months in 1959. Then came James, Shauna, and Amy. It was devastating when James passed away in 2020, but they all brought so much joy to his life, you know?

After getting married, the couple moved to New York City so Redford could study at Pratt Institute. He later switched to The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he played Konstantin Treplev in a production of Chekhov’s *The Seagull*. He often said this role changed how he thought about acting.

In 2011, Robert Redford told AARP that he had a realization – a moment when everything finally started to make sense to him.

After starting his career with smaller roles on stage and television, Robert Redford appeared in his first film, *War Hunt*, in 1962. He went on to become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars, appearing in classic movies like *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid*, *The Natural*, *The Way We Were*, *All the President’s Men*, and *Out of Africa*. Beyond acting, Redford also had a successful career as a film producer and director.

Robert Redford has been nominated for an Academy Award four times and won once, receiving the Best Director Oscar in 1981 for the film *Ordinary People*. In 2002, he also received an honorary Oscar for his humanitarian work in the film industry, including founding the Sundance Institute and Film Festival.

Robert Redford’s work with the Sundance Institute led him to meet his wife, Sibylle Szaggars. They first connected in the late 1990s, a few years after his divorce, when she visited his Sundance Mountain Resort, and later married in 2009.

Robert Redford, a passionate outdoorsman, discovered the future site of his 2,600-acre resort during a motorcycle trip from California to the University of Colorado. He often explored scenic routes, and this particular journey revealed a breathtaking landscape that captivated him.

I’ll never forget the first time I drove into Yosemite. As Redford described to TIME magazine, you go through this long tunnel just after leaving Fresno, and then, boom-there it is. Inspiration Point opens up, and suddenly you’re looking at the whole of Yosemite National Park. It honestly felt like something divine had sculpted the landscape. That moment wasn’t just about *seeing* nature, it was like I instantly fell in love with its raw, untouched beauty. I was hooked, completely and utterly addicted to it.

His deep passion for the environment drove him to be a consistent advocate for its protection. He played a key role in preserving the 1.7-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, which was established by President Bill Clinton, and helped create a wildlife preserve in the state. He also served on the board of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Together with his late son, James Redford, he founded The Redford Center, a non-profit that promotes environmental solutions through filmmaking.

In a 2024 interview with Orion, Robert Redford explained to his grandson, Conor Schlosser, that he quickly understood the vital importance of protecting the environment. He noted that many others saw the environment simply as something to be used for building and development. Because of this differing viewpoint, Redford knew early on that he would need to actively work to preserve it, even if it proved challenging.

Keep reading for a look back at Robert’s life…