Remembering Robert Redford: Meryl Streep’s Heartfelt Tribute Stuns Hollywood

Hollywood has lost one of its most enduring icons. Robert Redford, the golden boy of American cinema whose quiet charisma and visionary spirit reshaped the industry, passed away on September 16, 2025, at his beloved home in Sundance, Utah. He was 89. Surrounded by family in the mountains he cherished, Redford’s death has sparked an outpouring of grief and admiration from across the entertainment world. But among the tributes, none has resonated more deeply than Meryl Streep’s poignant words: “One of the lions has passed. Rest in peace, my lovely friend.” As the world mourns, Streep’s tribute stands as a testament to their profound bond and Redford’s timeless legacy.

From Scrappy Kid to Silver Screen Legend

Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, Redford’s early life was marked by mischief and resilience. The son of an accountant and a homemaker, he was a high school troublemaker who once stole hubcaps and lost his baseball scholarship at the University of Colorado due to excessive partying. Undeterred, he discovered a talent for caricature and pursued art studies in Europe, hitchhiking through the continent and living the bohemian painter’s life. Realizing his work lacked originality, he returned to New York, enrolling in theatrical design at the Pratt Institute before pivoting to acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

By 1960, Redford was gracing Broadway stages, with his breakout role in Barefoot in the Park catapulting him to stardom. His all-American good looks and understated intensity soon translated to the screen. At 33, he exploded onto the Hollywood scene as the Sundance Kid opposite Paul Newman in 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Hits like The Way We Were (1973) with Barbra Streisand and The Sting (1973) with Newman made him the box-office king for three straight years. Films such as The Great Gatsby (1974), All the President’s Men (1976), and Out of Africa (1985) followed, showcasing his range from romantic leads to investigative journalists.

Redford’s influence extended far beyond acting. An environmental advocate, he used his wealth to preserve Utah’s landscapes, founding the Sundance Ski Resort and, in 1980, the Sundance Institute to champion independent filmmakers. The annual Sundance Film Festival became a global beacon for fresh voices, launching careers like those of Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and Paul Thomas Anderson. Behind the camera, he won an Oscar for directing Ordinary People (1980) and earned nominations for Quiz Show (1994) and others, blending commercial success with artistic depth.

Even in his later years, Redford defied retirement. Reuniting with Jane Fonda in Netflix’s Our Souls at Night (2017) and starring in The Old Man & the Gun (2018) at 82, he embodied his philosophy: “Retirement means stopping something… There’s this life to lead. Why not live it as much as you can, as long as you can?”

A Life Shaped by Joy and Heartache

Redford’s personal story was as compelling as his on-screen personas. Married to Lola van Wagenen from 1958 to 1985, he fathered four children: Scott, Shauna, James (Jamie), and Amy. Tragedy struck early when infant son Scott died of sudden infant death syndrome in 1959. The family endured further losses, including the death of Shauna’s boyfriend in 1983 and Jamie’s battle with liver disease, culminating in his passing from bile duct cancer in 2020. Redford bore these griefs privately, channeling them into his work with characteristic grace. As he told NPR in 2018, his family navigated hardship by “bearing the brunt… with grace.”

Remarried to artist Sibylle Szatrowitz in 2009, Redford leaves behind daughters Shauna and Amy, son James (who passed in 2020), and seven grandchildren. His will specifies a simple, family-only funeral in the Utah mountains—no red carpets or media frenzy—honoring his lifelong preference for privacy over spectacle.

Hollywood’s Heartfelt Goodbyes

News of Redford’s passing broke the internet, with tributes flooding in from stars, filmmakers, and leaders. Barbra Streisand called him “charismatic, intelligent, intense… one of the finest actors ever.” Jane Fonda, his frequent co-star and friend, shared, “It hit me hard… Robert meant a lot and was a beautiful person in every way. He stood for an America we’d have to keep fighting for.” She admitted to falling in love with him on every set, from their 1960 debut in Tall Story to later collaborations.

James Gunn posted on Instagram: “I grew up with his movies: his quiet, unforced performances and ever-present grace. He was THE movie star.” Antonio Banderas hailed him as “an icon of cinema in every sense,” whose talent “will continue to move me forever.” Ron Howard praised him as a “tremendously influential cultural figure” and “artistic game-changer” for launching Sundance.

Political figures joined the chorus. President Donald Trump remarked, “Robert Redford had a series of years where there was nobody better. Even in a divided political climate, his talent transcended everything.” Utah Governor Spencer Cox celebrated Redford’s love for the state: “He cherished our landscapes and built a legacy that made Utah a home for storytelling and creativity.” The Sundance Institute mourned their founder: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our founder and friend.”

Meryl Streep’s Timeless Bond with the Lion

Amid the flood of remembrances, Streep’s tribute cuts deepest, evoking their shared history in Sydney Pollack’s Out of Africa (1985). As Danish baroness Karen Blixen, Streep fell for Redford’s big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton in a sweeping tale of love and loss set against Kenya’s vast landscapes. Their on-screen chemistry—subtle, magnetic, and profoundly human—remains iconic.

Streep recalled a standout scene where Redford washes her hair by a river, reciting poetry from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. “Unfortunately, Redford was not initially a gifted hair stylist,” she joked in a Q&A, crediting her makeup artist for coaching him. By take five, “I was, in my own words, so in love.” Off-screen, their respect was mutual: Redford admired her emotional depth, while she praised his effortless naturalism. Pollack directed them in seven films, a testament to Redford’s loyalty to collaborators who shared his vision.

Streep’s “one of the lions” line echoes her recognition of Redford’s stature—not just as a heartthrob with wavy blond hair and a granite jaw, but as a principled force who rejected the “sex symbol” label as a “handicap.” She saw the man who amplified indie voices, fought for the environment (earning praise from President Obama as “one of the foremost conservationists”), and infused films with cultural weight on topics like corruption and grief.

A Legacy That Endures

Redford’s death marks the end of an era, but his influence endures. Obituaries hail him as a “giant of American cinema,” the “godfather of independent film,” and a star whose prime “few could touch.” From subverting the status quo with anti-establishment films to fostering Sundance’s growth—now relocating to Boulder, Colorado, as Redford himself endorsed for evolution—his impact is woven into modern storytelling.

As Hollywood honors his request for a private farewell, public memorials will undoubtedly follow, celebrating the man who blended beauty with substance. Streep’s tribute reminds us: Redford wasn’t just a star; he was a lion whose roar—quiet yet fierce—changed the cinematic landscape forever.