Actor and filmmaker Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. The Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star reportedly passed away in his sleep, surrounded by family in Utah (via BBC News). His publicist requested privacy for the family in a statement released to the press after his death.
Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved. He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy.
While he has several awards to his name as an actor, Redford won his first Oscar for directing the drama Ordinary People. He also received the Honorary Oscar in 2002. The actor played his final role in live-action in Avengers: Endgame, before which he starred in The Old Man and the Gun. He also founded the Sundance Institute and subsequently, the Sundance Film Festival.
While he has not acted for the past six years, he has played plenty of roles that have become iconic. Here are ten iconic movies from the legendary actor to remember him by:
1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
This is the movie that made Robert Redford a legend. The Western saw Redford team up with Paul Newman as the titular Sundance Kid and Butch Cassidy, respectively, two real-life outlaws who escaped to Bolivia and were pursued by a posse. Directed by George Roy Hill, the film was a breakthrough for both Newman and Redford.
Despite being the second half of a duo, Redford is effortlessly cool in the movie and exudes a lot of charisma. The film is regarded as a classic and is frequently ranked among the best American films and Westerns ever. Robert Redford’s part, the Sundance Kid, eventually gave the name of his institute and the Sundance Film Festival.
2. All the President’s Men
The Watergate scandal was one of the most pivotal moments in America’s political history. It messed with the trust that the citizens had in the Government and led to the impeachment of the then-President Richard Nixon. Robert Redford paired up with Dustin Hoffman in the movie to play Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, two reporters who covered the scandal.
Alan J. Pakula’s legendary political thriller is incredibly paced and shows some good old-fashioned reporting that has been missing in cinema in the recent past. The film is yet another classic from Redford, and it also frequently finds itself in multiple best-of lists.
3. Jeremiah Johnson
The origin of the Robert Redford nodding meme (yes, it is not Zach Galifianakis) is Jeremiah Johnson, a Western directed by Sydney Pollack, which stars Redford as the eponymous character. Johnson is a trapper and a Mexican War veteran who travels the frontier, surviving the harsh winters. It is reportedly one of Redford’s favorite movies.
Pollack’s direction and Redford’s cool-guy persona made it a classic. Robert Redford’s character reportedly inspired the Italian comics, Ken Parker.
4. Quiz Show
Robert Redford did not act in this movie, but Quiz Show was his directorial. The movie was set in the world of reality TV game shows, and the accusation that some quiz shows were fixed. The film starred John Turturro, Ralph Fiennes, and Rob Morrow, with even Martin Scorsese having a supporting role.
The film followed the real-life scandal involving Charles Van Doren, who Richard N. Goodwin investigated. The film earned multiple award nominations, including the Oscars and the Golden Globes, despite being a financial failure.
5. The Great Gatsby
Before Baz Luhrmann adapted F. Scott Fitzgerald’s commentary on American excess with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, Robert Redford starred as Jay Gatsby in Jack Clayton’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby. The story is the same, but Redford’s performance is wildly different from DiCaprio’s, and for good reason. It is more true to his persona.
The film needs to be watched for Redford, as he is the highlight of an otherwise bland film. Many criticized the production of the movie, which seems to pale in comparison with Luhrmann’s excessive, showmanship-heavy design in 2013’s adaptation.
6. The Way We Were
Robert Redford reunited with Sydney Pollack for this romance drama, based on Arthur Laurents’ novel of the same name. Redford stars along with Barbra Streisand, who gave an Oscar-nominated performance as Katie Morosky, a Marxist who has strong opinions against war. Redford and Streisand’s chemistry, as well as the music, was a highlight of the movie.
7. The Candidate
Robert Redford’s films have not shied away from being political, and with The Candidate, his character, Bill McKay, was a direct satire on the Presidential race and its campaigns being just a popularity contest. The satire movie won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and for good reason. Redford plays a candidate who slowly becomes disillusioned by his campaign as Election Day draws near.
8. The Sting
George Roy Hill’s The Sting reunited the filmmaker with both Robert Redford and Paul Newman after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in another caper film. But this time, it was an incredible Redford show all the way. The movie gave him his first Oscar nomination, though he lost it to Jack Lemmon for Save the Tiger.
9. Ordinary People
Another directorial from Robert Redford, and this time it was his debut as a director. The drama Ordinary People follows a wealthy family and how they deal with the death of their son. The film starred Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, and Timothy Hutton. Redford dealt with the sensitive subject matter with incredible softness and thus won his first Oscar as Best Director.
10. The Old Man & The Gun
This is his most recent movie on the list and one of Robert Redford’s final movies as an actor. The 2018 biographical thriller, The Old Man & The Gun, saw him play real-life criminal and escape artist Forrest Tucker. Directed by David Lowery, the film also starred Casey Affleck, Danny Glover, and Sissy Spacek.
Redford received a Golden Globe nomination for the part of Tucker and was praised for his performance.
Which one do you think is Robert Redford’s best work? Did we miss out on anything? Comment below.
