Robert Redford Photo: Wikimedia Commons

UTAH — Well known actor and film advocate Robert Redford died Tuesday at 89 years old. Redford passed away “at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved,” according to a statement from his publicist. No cause of death was indicated.

Redford has been praised for starring in several major films, notably “The Candidate,” “All the President’s Men” and “The Way We Were.” His pursuits also led him beyond acting, and he was awarded the best director Oscar for 1980’s best picture winner, “Ordinary People.”

Obit Robert Redford — Director Sydney Pollack, left, appears with actors Robert Redford, center, and Barbra Streisand during the filming of “The Way We Were” in New York on Nov. 28, 1972. Photo: AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler

One of his most well-known roles was the wily outlaw he played opposite of his old friend Paul Newman in the box-office hit “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” When Redford created an independent film institute and festival, he drew inspiration from that role for the name.

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Redford created the Sundance Film Institute and festival in response to the increasing pressures of Hollywood on new and developing talent. He saw independent film as a way for artists to push themselves creatively. The program was based in Park City, and multiple famous directors were discovered there, such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and Paul Thomas Anderson.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our founder and friend Robert Redford. Bob’s vision of a space and a platform for independent voices launched a movement that, over four decades later, has inspired generations of artists and redefined cinema in the U.S. and around the world. Beyond his enormous contributions to culture at large, we will miss his generosity, clarity of purpose, curiosity, rebellious spirit, and his love for the creative process. We are humbled to be among the stewards of his remarkable legacy, which will continue to guide the Institute in perpetuity.”
Statement from Sundance Film Institute

“For me, the word to be underscored is ‘independence,’” Redford told the AP in 2018. “I’ve always believed in that word. That’s what led to me eventually wanting to create a category that supported independent artists who weren’t given a chance to be heard.”

Redford’s impact on film and culture endures through his decades of work as an actor, director, and champion of independent storytelling. The Sundance Film Festival will continue as planned in Park City for the 2026 season and then be relocated to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027.

“Robert Redford changed the trajectory of Park City and left an indelible mark on Utah,” said Park City Mayor Nann Worel. “Through his vision for the Sundance Film Festival, he brought world-class art to our mountains and introduced so many of us to the power of independent film. He was a maverick – unafraid to chart his own path – showing that ideas and creativity can flourish even amid our differences. His legacy is both beautiful and profound, and one for which we all should be deeply grateful.”