The View opened its Tuesday broadcast with a somber tribute after co-hosts learned that actor Robert Redford had died that morning at his Utah home. Whoopi Goldberg announced the news as the panel took their seats, describing Redford as "one of Hollywood’s most iconic leading men and a tireless activist, environmentalist and philanthropist."
Redford, 89, reportedly died in his sleep on Sept. 16. The announcement prompted audible reactions from the studio audience and led the hosts to recall his long career on screen and off. Joy Behar and Sara Haines cited several of his best-known films, including The Way We Were, All the President’s Men and Indecent Proposal. Sunny Hostin highlighted Redford’s environmental advocacy, saying he had sounded alarms about climate change "before I think many people paid attention to it."
Goldberg said she had a personal encounter with Redford nearly a decade ago at a celebration for Sophia Loren’s 80th birthday, and spoke of watching his work since the early 1960s. "Getting to talk to him about movies, and just all the things, and of course the Sundance Film Festival, he was extraordinary and truly will be missed," she said. Goldberg concluded her on-air remarks with a quiet farewell: "There was nobody like him. Sail on, my friend."
Redford’s legacy includes a decades-spanning acting career and his founding role in the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival, which helped launch and sustain independent filmmaking in the United States. His film credits, awards and the festival’s influence on American cinema were recurring themes in the hosts’ reflections.
The View, which airs weekdays on ABC at 11 a.m. Eastern, paused its regular format to honor Redford’s life and work during Tuesday’s program. The on-air tribute echoed statements from across the entertainment industry that followed the actor’s death, as colleagues, filmmakers and activists noted both his cinematic achievements and his long-standing environmental and philanthropic efforts.