PARK CITY, Utah (Diya TV) — Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, and producer whose charm and vision reshaped Hollywood and independent cinema, has died at age 89. His publicist, Cindi Berger, confirmed Redford died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Sundance, Utah, surrounded by family and loved ones. No cause of death was given.

For more than five decades, Redford was one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. Once dismissed as “just another California blond,” he became a global icon with his rugged charisma, striking looks, and powerful performances.

Redford’s breakout role came in 1969 with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, opposite Paul Newman. The western classic launched him into stardom and cemented his place in Hollywood history. He reunited with Newman in The Sting (1973), another timeless hit.

Throughout the 1970s, Redford starred in a string of acclaimed films, including The Candidate, The Way We Were, All the President’s Men, and The Great Gatsby. He balanced romantic leads with political dramas, earning praise for his versatility.

Though he never won the Academy Award for Best Actor, Redford found success behind the camera. His directorial debut, Ordinary People (1980), won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film’s success proved he was as skilled behind the camera as he was in front of it.

In 2001, the Academy honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Former President Barack Obama later awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, recognizing his cultural influence and commitment to conservation.

Beyond Hollywood, Redford reshaped the film industry through his dedication to independent cinema. In the late 1970s, he used his fortune to establish the Sundance Institute in Utah. From the institute grew the Sundance Film Festival, which became one of the most influential platforms for independent filmmakers worldwide.

Redford once said he wanted to give space to stories ignored by mainstream studios. Sundance provided that space, launching films like CODA, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2022. Actress Marlee Matlin credited Redford directly, saying her film “would never have received the attention it did without Sundance.”

Redford’s influence extended beyond film. He was a committed environmentalist, supporting organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Wildlife Federation. He worked to preserve Utah’s natural beauty, where he lived privately for decades.

Although he never pursued political office, Redford often spoke out on public issues. In a 2017 interview, he criticized the political climate, saying, “Politics is in a very dark place right now.” Despite his critiques, leaders across the spectrum acknowledged his impact.

Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. in Santa Monica, California, on Aug. 18, 1937, he came from a working-class family. He earned a baseball scholarship but lost it after partying too much. He later pursued art, studying in Italy and New York before turning to acting almost by chance.

Redford began on Broadway in the late 1950s and made his film debut in Warhunt (1962). His career gained traction with Barefoot in the Park (1967), opposite Jane Fonda, before his breakout in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Despite his fame, Redford preferred privacy. He bought land in Utah in the early 1970s and created a retreat far from Hollywood’s spotlight. He was married twice, first to Lola Van Wagenen, with whom he shared four children, and later to German artist Sibylle Szaggars, who survives him.

Even late in his career, Redford continued to act, produce, and direct. In 2017, he reunited with Jane Fonda for Our Souls at Night, a romance about second chances. He hinted then that it would be one of his last acting roles, saying he wanted to return to his first love—art.

Tributes poured in following his death. Meryl Streep, his co-star in Out of Africa, called him “one of the lions” of Hollywood. Former President Obama praised him as “one of the foremost conservationists of our generation.”

Redford leaves behind his wife, two daughters, and a legacy that forever changed American cinema. From Hollywood blockbusters to independent storytelling, Robert Redford shaped the way audiences experience film.