The news of Robert Redford's death was announced by Candi Berger, head of advertising agency Rogers & Cowan. Berger said in a statement to The New York Times that the star died in his sleep at his home in Utah.

California's Golden Boy

Robert Redford was born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California. He made his stage debut in 1959 in the play"Tall Story," but his breakthrough didn't come until a decade later. His role in the film"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," in which he appeared alongside Paul Newman, catapulted him to stardom.

"My life was turned upside down," he admitted years later."Discovering that I was attracted to women was wonderful. That's why I started playing the handsome man on screen every day. I was hooked, I was captivated by the popularity," he added.

However, as he was increasingly offered roles as a seducer, Redford began to worry. After appearing in the screen adaptation of"Barefoot in the Park" (1967), he was labeled"California's golden boy," and that's when he rebelled. He turned down promising roles in"Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf" and "The Graduate" to fight for a new image. He didn't want to play stereotypically handsome blonds, although he later joked in interviews that he turned down"The Graduate" because "no one would believe, looking at him, that at 21 he was having trouble getting a girlfriend."

Only after making a name for himself in other projects did he agree to return to roles as lovers and paramours. These were never formulaic or easy roles, however. In 1974, he played the titular character in"The Great Gatsby" in the famous adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, madly in love with the beautiful Daisy (Mia Farrow). Five years later, he portrayed the impoverished Sonny Steele, who infatuates a journalist in"The Electric Rider." And in 1985, he won Meryl Streep's heart as the mysterious hunter Denys Finch Hatton in the Oscar-winning"Out of Africa." The latter two films were directed by Sidney Pollack, with whom Redford adored working.

Actor, director, producer, creator of Sundance

In his everyday life, however, the star effectively avoided such offers, especially if they weren't backed by a script as good as any of the aforementioned projects. Instead of playing the typical handsome man, he preferred to try his hand at playing an escaped convict in Arthur Penn's"Manhunt" (1966), opposite Marlon Brando. He finally shed his image in George Roy Hill's cult western"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969). It was this film, in which he first starred alongside Paul Newman, who would soon become his best friend, that catapulted Redford to the top. As the outlaw gunslinger,"The Sundance Kid," he solidified his position as a star who draws crowds to cinemas and as an actor who excels in playing unconventional, intelligent, and somewhat cynical characters who, despite their flaws, evoke great sympathy.

In 1973, Newman and Redford reunited on set, with George Roy Hill once again behind the camera. Together, they created"The Sting," a now-iconic gangster comedy for which Redford received his only acting Oscar nomination.

Although he became a cinematic legend primarily as an actor, Redford achieved his greatest success as a director. From the beginning, he made no secret of the fact that his drive and ambition extended beyond just being in front of the camera, so he also wanted to be on the other side. Since 1980, he has consistently achieved this. He has always created cinema that he wanted to see, memorable and consistent with his views."I believe art will always be needed. It documents the world and makes people think, wonder, and question. And that's what it's all about," he said.

His honesty and ability to evoke emotion from his actors contributed to his directorial debut, the drama"Ordinary People," winning an Oscar for Best Director, and the film itself winning an honorable mention for Best Picture. Based on the novel by Judith Guest, the story was a humble tale of a boy struggling to cope with the loss of his older brother. As Redford revealed years later, the film almost didn't make it to the big screen – Hollywood studios persistently turned him down whenever he approached them with the project. Only Paramount Pictures CEO Barry Diller agreed. However, when the project finally came to fruition, its success was astonishing.

Redford has directed ten films, including such titles as"A River Runs Through It" (1992),"Quiz Show" (1994, another Oscar nomination), and"The Conspiracy" (2010). Unlike Clint Eastwood or Woody Allen, who regularly appear as actors in their own works, Redford has only appeared in three of his own films:"The Horse Whisperer" (1998) and the aforementioned "The Rule of Silence" and "The Hidden Strategy." The reason? As he said: "As a director, I don't like Redford as an actor; as an actor, I don't like Redford as a director."

In 1995, Empire magazine ranked Redford fourth on its list of the 100 sexiest movie stars in history. He himself claims he doesn't like it when too much attention is paid to his appearance."What difference does it make what I look like? Who cares? First, the press was going on and on about how handsome I am. Now everyone's counting my wrinkles. Fortunately, I've never cared about my appearance," he said in an interview.

In 2002, Redford received an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement. The statuette he received bore the inscription:"Actor, director, producer, founder of Sundance, a source of inspiration for independent and innovative filmmakers worldwide." For an outstanding artist like Redford, cinema has never been merely an art form. It has also been a form of expression and a chance to share his values. The star is a vocal activist in the defense of the environment, the LGBT community, and the plight of Native Americans. He also fights loudly for democracy and basic human rights. His films, both those in which he stars and those he directs, participate in this battle."Political activism is part of my life and part of the films I try to make. But I don't want to support any ideologies; cinema must transcend politics," he declared in an interview.

Farewell to cinema

In 2018, Redford announced his retirement from acting. His farewell to the film"The Gentleman with a Revolver" was supposed to be "Never say never... But I came to the conclusion that this would be the end of my acting career. After this [film], I'll retire because I've been doing it since I was 21. I thought that was enough," the actor declared in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

"Recent years have accustomed us to a more dignified Redford, as an active senior, speaking on-screen about politics ("Hidden Agenda," "Truth"), ecology, and the will to survive ("All Is Lost," "The Bear Picnic"), occasionally dabbling in pure entertainment ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier") and family films ("My Dragon"). His wrinkled face, years of experience, and extensive artistic work, extending far beyond acting, all contribute to this image. But Redford still possesses the spark and charisma that catapulted him to the top with roles in films such as"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Sting," "Three Days of the Condor," and "All the President's Men," wrote Dagmara Romanowska in her review of "A Gentleman with a Revolver."