LEGENDARY ACTOR ROBERT REDFORD DIES AGED 89

Robert Redford, the legendary Ameri- can actor, Oscar-winning director and founder of Sundance Film Festival, has died at the age of 89.

- — Tatat Bunnag

Redford, the legendary American actor, Oscar-winning director and founder of Sundance Film Festival, has died at the age of 89. According to his publicist, Redford passed away peacefully “at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved”. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Redford’s passing marks the end of a remarkable era in American cinema, one defined by his golden-haired charisma, naturalistic performances and tireless advocacy for independent filmmaking.

Born Charles Robert Redford Jr in Santa Monica, California, in 1936, he grew up in Los Angeles before attending the University of Colorado, where he briefly studied art and athletics before travelling through Europe. Upon returning to the United States, he pursued acting, studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.

His early career began on Broadway in the late 1950s, with a breakout role in Neil Simon's play Barefoot In The Park opposite Elizabeth Ashley. Television soon beckoned and he made appearances on classics such as The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason, The Untouchables and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. These early performances revealed the quiet intensity and rugged charm that would come to define his screen persona.