RIP Robert Redford, One Of The Most Influential Actors In History

Robert Redford, the leading man with the golden-boy looks who won an Oscar for directing “Ordinary People” and later became a godfather for independent film as founder of the Sundance Film Institute, has died. He was 89.

Cindi Berger, the chief executive of the publicity firm Rogers & Cowan PMK, shared the news in statement to the New York Times. She said Redford had died in his sleep early Tuesday morning at his home in Utah, but did not provide a specific cause of death.

This is a tough one. Robert Redford was obviously an incredible actor with performances that practically own the late 60's through the 80's. On top of that, though, his legacy will live so far beyond what he put on the screen as an actor. 

His credits are unbelievable. He went toe-to-toe with Paul Newman in 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid', delivered incredible performances in 'Three Days of the Condor' and 'The Sting' and 'The Candidate'. He then transitioned flawlessly from being the de facto "cool guy" actor to being a more nuanced performer in complicated roles later on. I'll hold up 'All The President's Men' up against any political thriller ever made. On top of acting, he was also an incredible director. He won an oscar for his directorial debut with the amazing 'Ordinary People' and also made 'A River Runs Through It' and 'Quiz Show', one of my favorite movies of the 90's. 

Again, his legacy goes beyond what he did as an actor/director. He founded the Sundance Film Festival in 1978, which is the most important showcase of independent movies and documentaries in the country. So many directors got their big break premiering their early movies here. Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs), The Coen brothers (Blood Simple), Paul Thomas Anderson (Cigarettes and Coffee), Wes Anderson (Bottle Rocket), Steven Soderbergh (Sex lies and Videotape), Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) and the list goes on. All of these guys got eyes on their work and backers for future because of this festival. Without it, who knows where they are. 

It's horrible to lose a legend like Redford but I take some comfort knowing that there may not be a person alive resting easier with the legacy they left behind.