Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor known for roles in films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, died Tuesday at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah. He was 89.
Redford’s publicist, Cindi Berger of Rogers & Cowan PMK, confirmed the death to The Post and said the two-time Academy Award winner passed away in his sleep. “Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved,” Berger said. The family requested privacy.
In interviews in recent years Redford spoke plainly about his priorities and how he wanted to be remembered. In a 2017 Esquire interview he said: “For the work. What really matters is the work. And what matters to me is doing the work.” He added that his focus was on the process rather than rewards: “I’m not looking at the back end: ‘What am I going to get out of this? What’s going to be the reward?’ I’m just looking at the work, the pleasure of being able to do the work.”
Redford described the struggle of making art as its own reward: “That to me is where the fun is. That to me is the thrill.” He told interviewers that once the work was finished, he did not dwell on legacy or accolades.
A leading figure in American film for decades, Redford rose to prominence in the late 1960s and 1970s with acclaimed performances in films including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Candidate, and The Sting. He was last seen on the big screen in David Lowery’s 2018 film The Old Man and the Gun. His final on‑screen appearance came earlier in 2025 during the Season 3 premiere of AMC’s thriller series Dark Winds, which he executive produced.
Redford discussed retirement publicly while promoting The Old Man and the Gun at the Telluride Film Festival in August 2018, saying he felt it was time to step back after a long career that began when he was 21. He later told Variety in September 2018 that announcing a retirement had been “a mistake” and that he should have “slip[ped] quietly away from acting,” acknowledging the attention drawn by speaking about leaving the craft.
Colleagues and friends paid tribute after the announcement. Jane Fonda, who co‑starred with Redford in five films across their careers, said in a statement that his death hit her hard and that she “can’t stop crying.” She called him “a beautiful person in every way” and said he “stood for an America we have to keep fighting for.”
Redford remained associated with the Sundance region and its film festival for decades. He was last seen in public in October 2021. No cause of death has been provided by his representatives.
Throughout his career he earned acclaim both in front of and behind the camera, and he often spoke about the satisfaction of the creative process rather than the trappings of fame. In his remarks about legacy, he summed up a central professional ethic: the joy was in the climb.
The family has asked for privacy as the film community and the public reflect on a career that shaped American cinema for more than half a century.