Marvel StudiosRobert Redford, a legendary Hollywood actor and director, has died at the age of 89. It has been six years since he appeared on screen – and it was in a record-breaking movie.
The star died on Tuesday (September 16) morning, according to a statement from his representative.
“Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah – the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved,” Cindi Berger, chairman and CEO of Rogers & Cowan PMK, said (via People). “He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy.”
News of his passing has been met with tributes from fans and celebrities alike, with many highlighting his iconic role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and how he founded the Sundance Film Festival. He also appeared in the biggest franchise in of the 21st century: the MCU.
Robert Redford’s final role was in Avengers: Endgame
Robert Redford appeared in Avengers: Endgame as Alexander Pierce, the disgraced former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
He was revealed to be the secret leader of Hydra, and though he died in Winter Soldier, he reprised his role in a cameo thanks to Endgame’s timey-wimey story.
That was Redford’s last on-screen appearance, and it was in a movie that made nearly $2.8 billion worldwide and became one of the highest-grossing films of all time. He voiced Lokia the Dolphin Monster in 2020’s animated Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia, but he hasn’t been seen in a feature or TV show since.
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Marvel StudiosAccording to Joe Russo and Christopher Marcus, a co-writer on Endgame, Redford told everyone on the set that it would be his final role.
“And this is, as declared by the man himself on set, Robert Redford’s last movie role,” Marcus said on the film’s commentary track, with Russo saying: “That was his last day of acting… ever.”
“Seven years of really incredible moments on these movies, this is certainly up there, directing Robert Redford’s last day.”
As for why Redford joined the MCU, he explained to EW: “One of the reasons that I did it was I wanted to experience this new form of filmmaking that’s taken over where you have kind of cartoon characters brought to life through high technology.
“The Avengers series is a product of high technology playing a major role in the new order of filmmaking so I wanted to experience that – I just wanted to know what that was like and I had that opportunity, so for me it was like stepping into new terrain just to experience what it was like.”
Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame are available to stream on Disney Plus now.