Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor and director who starred in Hollywood classics and founded the Sundance Film Festival, died on Tuesday at the age of 89, CNN reported.
Redford gained international fame with roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and All the President’s Men (1976). He later won the Academy Award for best director in 1981 for Ordinary People and directed other acclaimed films, including A River Runs Through It (1992).
His passion for nurturing new voices in cinema led him to establish the Sundance Institute in 1981. The nonprofit supports independent filmmakers and theatre artists and is best known for the annual Sundance Film Festival in Utah, which has become one of the most influential showcases for global independent film.
“Robert Redford was more than a Hollywood star. He created spaces for filmmakers to tell stories that may not otherwise have been told,” CNN reported.
Born in Santa Monica, California, in 1936, Redford moved to Utah in 1961. There he became a prominent environmental advocate, promoting conservation efforts to protect the landscapes of the American West.
Beyond his work in film, Redford remained a leading voice for environmental protection, supporting campaigns to preserve wilderness areas and speaking publicly on climate change.
