Robert Redford, the charming actor and Oscar-winning director who spurned Hollywood stardom to pursue causes close to his heart, died Tuesday, CNN learned. He was 89.
Known for starring in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “All the President’s Men,” Redford also directed award-winning films such as “Ordinary People” and “A River Runs Through It.”
His passion for the art of film led to the founding of the Sundance Institute, a nonprofit organization that supports independent film and theater, and is known for its annual Sundance Film Festival.
Redford was also a dedicated environmentalist, moving to the mountains of Utah in 1961 and leading a campaign to preserve the natural landscape of the state and the American West.
The actor’s death in the mountains near Provo, announced Cindi Berger, CEO of PR agency Rogers & Cowan PMK. She said he died in his sleep, but did not specify the exact cause of death. With a pronounced disdain for Hollywood’s approach to “simplifying” films, Redford usually demanded that his projects carry cultural weight. In many cases, he managed to bring serious topics, such as grief and political corruption, closer to the audience, and this was not at all accidental – thanks to his enormous acting charisma.
Photo: NDR Kultur
