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Redford's 'Out of Africa' co-star Meryl Streep honored the late actor, saying, "One of the lions has passed," while Ben Stiller wrote that there was "no actor more iconic," as Colman Domingo, Rosie O'Donnell, and more also paid tribute.
One of Hollywood's biggest stars has gone out with the passing of Robert Redford. The big screen icon died at his home in Utah this morning. He was 89.
"Robert 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, Cindi Berger, chairman and CEO of Rogers & Cowan PMK said in a statement received by People. "He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy."
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View StoryWhile no cause of death was given, People said that Berger was able to confirm that he passed in his sleep.
Redford was a bona fide sex symbol of the silver screen at the height of his career throughout the 1960s and 970s, making smoldering appearances in blockbuster films like Barefoot in the Park (1963), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Sting (1973), and All the President's Men (1976).
By the 1980s, Redford had also taken to stepping behind the camera, finding just as much acclaim for his work as a director. His directorial debut, Ordinary People (1980) scoring four Oscar nominations, including one for directing. He also continued his acclaimed work on screen in The Natural (1984) and Out of Africa (1985).
He was instrumental in helping Brad Pitt emerge as a rising star of the 1990s as director for A River Runs Through It (1992), and starred alongside Scarlett Johansson in one of her earlier roles in The Horse Whisperer (1998). His success continued through the 2000s with projects like The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) and An Unfinished Life (2005), and even picked up a Golden Globe for his role in All Is Lost (2013). The following year, he made his Marvel debut in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
His final film role came in 2018 with The Old Man & the Gun alongside Forrest Tucker, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. In August of that year, he formally announced his retirement from acting -- though he did make another appearance for the MCU in Avengers: Endgame.
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View StoryFor his career achievements, Redford was honored with the Cecil B. Demille Award in 1994, the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005, among others. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
Born on August 18, 1936 in Santa Monica California, Redford spent much of his younger years in Austin, Texas, with the actor crediting his time visiting his grandmother there for his environmentalism. While he got kicked out of college for drinking too much, Redford went on to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and found his love of acting. He also pursued painting at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
He married Lola Van Wagenen in Las Vegas on August 9, 1985 and the couple would go on to welcome four children, Scott, Shauna, David, and Amy, losing their firstborn to sudden infant death syndrome at just two-and-a-half months. While the couple never publicly announced a separation or divorce, Redford was remarried in 2009 to Sibylle Szaggars after the couple had been living together in Sundance, Utah since 1996.
Redford was president of Sundance Productions, which he co-founded with Laura Michalchyshyn, as well as the nonprofit Sundance Institute in support of independent filmmaking. He would go on to create the Sundance Film Festival, which has become the largest festival for independent films in the United States.
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View StoryFollowing the news of Redford's passing, celebrities and famous figures took to social media, and issued statements, in which they paid tribute to the legendary actor.
Meryl Streep -- who famously starred alongside Redford in 1985's Out of Africa -- shared a sweet statement to Deadline, saying, "One of the lions has passed. Rest in peace my lovely friend."
Jane Fonda -- who collaborated with Redford on several films, including The Chase and Our Souls at Night -- mourned Redford's passing in a statement shared with USA Today.
"It hit me hard this morning when I read that Bob was gone. I can't stop crying," she said. "He meant a lot to me and was a beautiful person in every way. He stood for an America we have to keep fighting for."
"No actor more iconic," Ben Stiller wrote on X, while Colman Domingo said, "With love and admiration. Thank you Mr. Redford for your everlasting impact. Will be felt for generations. R.I.P."
Rosie O'Donnell shared a photo of Redford and Barbra Streisand from the 1973 romantic drama, The Way We Were," and referenced the film in the caption, writing, "oh hubbell - we will never be the same - goodnight bob - what a legacy."
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump also reacted to Redford's death while speaking to the press. "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."
See more tributes, below.
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