โHe was a hero in my heart, an endless source of inspiration,โ Max Verstappen said, mourning the passing of Hollywood legend Robert Redford at 89 ๐๐
Hollywood and the world of cinema are in mourning following the death of Robert Redford, the actor, director, and cultural icon whose career spanned more than six decades. Redford passed away peacefully at his home in Utah on Tuesday morning, according to the New York Times, which cited Cindi Berger, CEO of the publicity firm Rogers & Cowan PMK. Redford was 89.
Renowned for his striking good looks, windswept hair, and charismatic on-screen presence, Redford rose to superstardom in the late 1960s and 1970s with performances in classics such as โButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kidโ and โAll the Presidentโs Men.โ Over time, he became a symbol of both charm and talent, beloved by audiences around the world.
Yet Redfordโs influence extended far beyond his acting career. He was an accomplished filmmaker, a committed political activist, and a cultural entrepreneur who shaped the landscape of American independent cinema. His vision and dedication changed not only how films were made but also how emerging artists could reach audiences.
Perhaps Redfordโs most enduring legacy is the Sundance Institute, the nonprofit organization he founded in 1981 to support independent filmmakers. The institute organizes the annual Sundance Film Festival in snowy Park City, Utah, which has become the premier showcase for innovative storytelling, unique perspectives, and daring cinematic experiments. Over the decades, Sundance has launched the careers of countless filmmakers, from first-time directors to internationally celebrated auteurs, cementing Redfordโs reputation as a champion of artistic freedom and innovation.
Redfordโs contribution to film was not limited to supporting newcomers. His work behind the camera, including directing films such as โOrdinary Peopleโ, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director, demonstrated his keen eye for storytelling and a profound understanding of human emotion. His commitment to political and social issues, including environmental advocacy and civil rights, further highlighted a life devoted to meaningful causes.
News of Redfordโs passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the entertainment industry, sports, and cultural spheres. Among the voices of admiration and sorrow was Formula One superstar Max Verstappen, who publicly shared his respect for Redford, saying, โHe was a hero in my heart, an endless source of inspiration.โ Verstappen, known globally for his achievements on the racetrack, emphasized that Redfordโs courage, creativity, and integrity had left a mark far beyond cinema, inspiring individuals from all walks of life.
Verstappenโs tribute underscores Redfordโs broad cultural impact. While most would associate him strictly with Hollywood, Redfordโs life and work resonated globally, influencing not only actors and filmmakers but also athletes, artists, and anyone striving to pursue their passion with dedication and authenticity. Redfordโs ability to embody charisma, intelligence, and social conscience made him a universal figure whose example inspired generations.
In reflecting on Redfordโs achievements, it is impossible to overlook the era-defining moments that shaped his career. Films like โButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kidโ and โThe Stingโ redefined the possibilities of storytelling in Hollywood, blending wit, drama, and action in ways that set new standards. โAll the Presidentโs Menโ highlighted his commitment to socially relevant storytelling, portraying journalistic integrity during a time of political turbulence. These performances, along with his work as a director and producer, cemented his reputation as one of the most versatile and influential figures in American cinema.
Off-screen, Redfordโs dedication to independent filmmaking and the Sundance Institute created an enduring ecosystem for artists to take risks and tell authentic stories. Many of todayโs acclaimed directors and actors attribute their early opportunities and inspiration to the platform he built. Sundance became more than a festivalโit became a movement, shaping the culture of filmmaking and challenging the dominance of commercial studio productions.
Redfordโs passing leaves a profound void in Hollywood and the hearts of countless admirers worldwide. Yet his legacy remains vibrant, carried forward by the filmmakers, artists, and advocates who continue to draw inspiration from his life, work, and example. The principles he championedโintegrity, creativity, and courageโserve as a guiding light for the next generation.
In remembering Redford, Verstappenโs words capture the essence of a man whose life transcended borders and professions: โHe was a hero in my heart, an endless source of inspiration.โ Those words echo the sentiment of millions who were moved by his performances, touched by his generosity, and motivated by his vision.
As tributes continue to flow from around the world, it is clear that Robert Redfordโs influence is timeless. From Hollywood screens to the snowy streets of Park City, from actors to athletes, Redfordโs life reminds us that art, courage, and commitment can leave a mark far beyond one lifetime.
The film, a tense and fast-paced account of how Woodward (Redford) and Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) unraveled the conspiracy that brought down President Richard Nixon, also reflected Redfordโs political consciousness and sense of civic responsibility.
โAccuracy was the big, big objective in making the film,โ Redford recalled in a 2006 interview. โWe had to be accurate, otherwise we would fall under that perception that Hollywood was messing around with a very vital event.โ
Redford closed out the 1970s with a relatively small part in the war epic โA Bridge Too Farโ (1977) and the role of a shambolic rodeo star in โThe Electric Horsemanโ (1979), co-starring frequent collaborator Jane Fonda.
The dawn of the 1980s marked the start of a crucial career chapter. He appeared in the 1980 prison flick โBrubaker,โ but Redfordโs more significant project that year was his wrenching directorial debut, โOrdinary People.โ
โOrdinary Peopleโ chronicles an upper-middle-class Midwestern family wracked by grief and dysfunction. The film, starring Timothy Hutton, Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore, examines the emotional fault lines underneath America’s clean-cut suburban ideal.
Oscar voters lavished the acclaimed drama with four awards, including best picture and a director trophy for Redford. (โRaging Bullโ fans are still smarting from the knockout punch.)
Redford acted in only three more films in the 1980s โ the baseball picture โThe Naturalโ (1984), the best picture winner โOut of Africaโ (1985) and the courtroom comedy โLegal Eaglesโ (1986) โ and directed the largely forgotten dramedy โThe Milagro Beanfield War,โ released in 1987.
But in that same period, Redford helped form one of the signature institutions of modern film culture. He founded the Sundance Institute in 1981 with the goal of discovering talent from outside the Hollywood system, highlighting independent productions and supporting new artists.
The Sundance Film Festival, named for one of the actorโs most iconic characters, grew into a cornerstone of the film industry and eventually one of the most glitzy extravaganzas on the Hollywood social calendar, known as much for screenings as for executive deal-making and VIP parties.
The festival was a launching pad for some of the most well-known auteurs of the last quarter-century โ Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Steven Soderbergh, Gina Prince-Bythewood โ and continues to be an incubator for promising young writers, directors and other creative personalities.
It has likewise focused national attention on seminal independent films such as Soderberghโs โSex, Lies, and Videotapeโ (1989) and Tarantinoโs โReservoir Dogsโ (1992) as well as โClerksโ (1994), โThe Blair Witch Projectโ (1999), โDonnie Darkoโ (2001) and โLittle Miss Sunshineโ (2006).
In the 1990s and early 2000s, as Sundance helped turn independent film into a lucrative business, Redford continued to act steadily.
In those years, Redford starred in the heist comedy โSneakersโ (1992), the erotic potboiler โIndecent Proposalโ (1993), and the back-to-back 2001 thrillers โThe Last Castleโ and โSpy Game.โ
He was also an active director during that period, helming โA River Runs Through Itโ (1992), โQuiz Showโ (1994), โThe Horse Whispererโ (1998), โThe Legend of Bagger Vanceโ (2000), and โLions for Lambsโ (2007), and more recently โThe Conspiratorโ (2010) and โThe Company You Keepโ (2012).
โA River Runs Through Itโ and โQuiz Showโ drew praise, and the latter received Oscar nominations for best picture and best director. Redfordโs subsequent directorial outings received mixed reviews, however, although โLionsโ and โCompanyโ allowed him to explore political themes.
In his later years, Redford took on a challenging role in โAll Is Lost,โ a 2013 survival story that featured virtually no other characters and barely any dialogue. The actor received a standing ovation after the film screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
He portrayed former CBS newsman Dan Rather in โTruthโ (2015) and introduced himself to a new generation of moviegoers as the villainous government operative Alexander Pierce in the Marvel franchise entries โCaptain America: The Winter Soldierโ (2014) and โAvengers: Endgameโ (2019).
Redfordโs leading role as a gentlemanly bank robber in David Loweryโs character study โThe Old Man & the Gunโ (2018) was his last, adding a gentle grace note to an illustrious Hollywood career.
โI just figure that Iโve had a long career that Iโm very pleased with. Itโs been so long, ever since I was 21. I figure now as Iโm getting into my 80s, itโs maybe time to move toward retirement and spend more time with my wife and family,โ Redford told the Associated Press in 2018.
He is survived by his wife, Sibylle Szaggars, and two children from a previous marriage to Lola Van Wagenen: Shauna Jean Redford and Amy Hart Redford. Redford and his first wife lost two sons: Scott Anthony Redford, born in 1959, died of sudden infant death syndrome; David James Redford died of cancer in 2020.
Daniel Arkin
