Robert Redford Useless at Age 89 After Retreating From Public Eye

Actor and director Robert Redford has died at age 89.

Redford died on Tuesday, September 16, at his residence in Utah, in response to a press release to The New York Times from his publicist Cindi Berger. His rep confirmed that he died in his sleep however didn't present a particular trigger.

Redford received his begin within the '60s with small roles on TV earlier than films like Barefoot within the Park with Jane Fonda made him a star. He went on to star in basic movies together with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child, The Means We Have been, Out of Africa, All of the President's Males and Three Days of the Condor. The Sting, which was launched in 1973, earned Redford his first and solely appearing Oscar nomination.

Within the Nineteen Eighties, Redford transitioned into directing, profitable an Academy Award for his directorial debut, Bizarre Folks.

Redford was additionally an activist and is understood for founding the nonprofit Sundance Institute, which went on to turn into the Sundance Movie Competition.

“I used to be born with a tough eye,” Redford advised The Hollywood Reporter in 2014. “The way in which I noticed issues, I might see what was mistaken. I might see what could possibly be higher. I developed sort of a darkish view of life, taking a look at my very own nation.”

Earlier than his demise, Redford made a short look within the season 3 premiere of Darkish Winds alongside Sport of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin. The duo, who have been each government producers on the present, performed incarcerated males engaged in a high-stakes sport of chess behind bars within the March episode.

Director Chris Eyre opened up about working with Redford in his return to appearing after a six-year hiatus. In keeping with Eyre, a possible Redford cameo had been “within the air for the reason that first season,” and there have been plans for Redford to look within the season 2 finale.

“I by no means thought I might get to a spot in my life the place I might know Robert Redford, not to mention be in a scene with him,” Darkish Winds star Zahn McClarnon advised Vulture.

Showrunner John Wirth, in the meantime, confirmed that there have been obstacles they needed to deal with earlier than Redford's cameo was filmed, including, “I used to be by no means actually certain it was going to occur till it occurred.”

Redford's remaining position earlier than he returned to the highlight in Darkish Winds was in 2019's Avengers: Endgame, the place he reprised the position of former S.H.I.E.L.D. director turned HYDRA traitor Alexander Pierce from Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

After starring in 2018's The Previous Man & the Gun, Redford mentioned that was probably his remaining onscreen look.

“By no means say by no means, however I fairly properly concluded that this is able to be it for me when it comes to appearing, and [I'll] transfer in direction of retirement after this 'trigger I've been doing it since I used to be 21,” Redford advised Leisure Weekly on the time. “I believed, ‘Effectively, that's sufficient.' And why not exit with one thing that's very upbeat and constructive?”

Redford walked that call again one month later, telling Selection it “was a mistake” to announce he was retiring.

“I ought to by no means have mentioned that,” he mentioned. “If I'm going to retire, I ought to simply slip quietly away from appearing, however I shouldn't be speaking about it as a result of I feel it attracts an excessive amount of consideration within the mistaken means. I wish to be targeted on this movie and the solid.”

Redford is survived by his spouse, Sibylle Szaggars, and daughters Shauna, 64, and Amy, 54, whom he shared with first spouse Lola Van Wagenen. Their son James died of most cancers in October 2020 at age 58. Their first little one, son Scott, died of SIDS in 1959 when he was 2 months previous. Redford additionally had seven grandchildren.