Hollywood icon Robert Redford passed away in his sleep at his Utah home last Tuesday, his publicist announced.

Robert Redford began his career like the majority of actors; small appearances on various television shows and even stage performances in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. However, unlike many bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young actors breaking onto the scene, Redford already had a family. Married in 1958 to Lola Van Wagenen, Redford had four kids, only two of which are still living. His son, Scott, passed away in 1959 of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), while his other son, James, died in 2020 of cancer.

Despite his young family, it did not take Redford long before he became a household name as the charming leading man we remember him as today. Breaking into film at the age of the “Hollywood Renaissance,” Redford shot into stardom with “Barefoot in the Park” and what is arguably his most iconic role as Butch Cassidy in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” which he starred in alongside fellow Hollywood powerhouse and close friend, Paul Newman. It was here Redford cemented himself in Hollywood history, earning the BAFTA Award for “Best Actor” and the film itself going on to be nominated for “Best Picture” at the Academy Awards.

Redford went on to star alongside Newman again in “The Sting;” the performance that earned him a nomination for “Best Actor.” Redford also gained recognition for his role as journalist Bob Woodward in the second-highest grossing film of 1976, “All the President’s Men.”

By the early ‘80s, Redford began dipping his toes into other mediums of the film industry, making his directorial debut in 1980 with “Ordinary People,” earning him his first Academy Award for “Best Director” and the film itself winning multiple awards on its own as one of the most critically acclaimed films of the decade.

One of Redford’s most notable accomplishments is the Sundance Film Festival. In 1978, he became the first board member of the Utah Film Festival. In 1981, Redford would go on to create the Sundance Film Institute, which would merge with the Utah Film Festival to become the Sundance Film Festival. Named after Redford’s iconic “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” character, the festival’s contributions to the independent film industry cannot be overstated.

It is responsible for launching the careers of dozens of famous directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Damien Chazelle and Darren Aronofsky. The success of the festival and Redford’s persistent efforts to support independent filmmakers earned him the nickname the “godfather of independent film.”

Speaking at the festival in 1997, Redford said, “I can only say that I’m proud of the fact that I think whatever contribution we’ve made has increased the legitimacy for independent film and has pushed the envelope and given more opportunities to the filmmakers.”

Throughout his career, Redford won several more awards, including multiple lifetime achievements, the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton in 1998, the “Academy Honorary Award” at the 2001 Oscars and The Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

Besides his contributions to the film industry, Redford was also a known environmental activist. He was a trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council and led major protests against the Keystone Pipeline. He was also a major supporter of LGBTQ+ and Native American rights.

In 2009, Redford married his longtime girlfriend, Sybille Szaggers, after separating and eventually divorcing from her in the 1990s.

After the news of the actor’s death was released, tributes poured in from celebrities, friends and fans. Barbara Streisand, who starred alongside Redford in “The Way We Were,” called Redford “charismatic, intelligent, intense, always interesting— and one of the finest actors ever.”

Other tributes included journalist Bob Woodward, whom Redford portrayed in “All The President’s Men” and Former First Lady Hillary Clinton, who called Redford “a true American icon.”

Redford’s contributions to Hollywood and the film industry have left a huge impact, one which leaves both feeling a massive loss.