Oscar-Winning Actor Robert Redford, Best Known for 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,' Dies at 89

The Oscar-winning actor and director has died at his mountain home in Utah, drawing the curtain on a legacy that helped shape the very fabric of modern film.

Robert Redford, who brought intensity, elegance, and quiet defiance to some of the most unforgettable roles in cinema history, died on September 16, 2025. He was 89. His passing marks the end of an era for both mainstream blockbusters and the fiercely creative world of independent film.

The news came on Tuesday in a solemn statement from Cindi Berger, chief executive of Rogers & Cowen PMK. According to her, the actor died in his sleep, but the cause has yet to be revealed.

From Leading Man to Industry Powerhouse

Redford wasn't just a beloved actor; he was a cultural force whose work redefined what American cinema could be. While he never shied from stardom, his real passion lay in creating films that would influence the cultural landscape and not just entertain.

He was unforgettable as the charming outlaw in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969), and hauntingly driven in the political thriller "All the President's Men" (1976). But his catalogue of iconic roles didn't stop there. His other celebrated films include "Three Days of the Condor," "The Sting," "Barefoot in the Park," "The Way We Were," and the sweeping romantic drama "Out of Africa" with Meryl Streep.

Sundance: A Legacy That Changed Cinema

But perhaps his most powerful legacy was behind the scenes, where he helped shape the future of film through mentorship, vision, and grit.

In 1981, Redford founded the Sundance Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to discovering and nurturing new ideas and people in cinema. Three years later, he took over a faltering Utah film festival, renamed it Sundance, and transformed it into one of the most important movie platforms in the world.