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Hollywood Icon Robert Redford Dies at 89
Legendary actor, director, and environmentalist Robert Redford has passed away at age 89. The acclaimed star of films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting died peacefully in his sleep Tuesday at his home near Provo, Utah.
Redford, also known for founding the prestigious Sundance Institute, won an Academy Award for Best Director for his work on Ordinary People. His captivating charm and classic good looks cemented his status as a beloved figure in American cinema throughout the 1960s and 70s.
Jane Fonda Mourns the Loss of Robert Redford
Longtime friend and frequent co-star Jane Fonda, 87, expressed her grief over Redford’s passing in a heartfelt statement. “It hit me hard this morning when I read that Bob was gone,” Fonda shared.
“I can’t stop crying. He meant a lot to me and was a beautiful person in every way.
He stood for an America we have to keep fighting for.”
A Six-Decade Friendship: Fonda and Redford’s On-Screen and Off-Screen Bond
The pair shared an enduring friendship spanning over six decades, collaborating on four films: The Chase (1966), Barefoot in the Park (1967), The Electric Horseman (1979), and Our Souls at Night (2017). Redford also made an uncredited appearance in Fonda’s 1960 film Tall Story.
While Redford’s on-screen chemistry with Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is legendary, his romantic pairings with Fonda and Barbra Streisand captivated audiences worldwide. The easy connection between Fonda and Redford translated into an undeniable on-screen spark, often leading fans to speculate about a real-life romance.
Redford described his relationship with Fonda as “special,” noting their effortless collaboration. In an interview with Today, he remarked, “It’s easy.
We’ve done many films over the years so it just worked out that way, that there was not a lot of discussion, we didn’t have to talk about a lot. Things just kind of fell into place between us, and there wasn’t much more to think about.”
Fonda’s Fondness for Redford: A Crush With Every Film
Though rumors of a romance often swirled around the pair, Fonda and Redford maintained a close friendship throughout their lives. Fonda has been candid about her admiration for Redford, admitting to developing a crush on him during the filming of each of their movies.
In a 2008 interview, she confessed, “He is so handsome and just such a wonderful human being. Every movie I made with him, I developed a crush on him.”