Trump commends Robert Redford, stating he is "the hottest," yet the admiration was not reciprocated by Redford.
Robert Redford, Legendary Actor and Environmental Activist, Passes Away at 89
Robert Redford, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in films like 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' and 'All the President's Men,' has passed away at the age of 89.
Throughout his illustrious career, Redford was not just a talented actor but also a vocal advocate for various causes, particularly environmental issues. He served as a trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council, an advocacy group, and was a critic of the planned Keystone XL pipeline.
Redford's political activism was evident in his roles on the silver screen. In 1976, he played Bob Woodward in 'All the President's Men,' a political thriller about the Watergate scandal, where he criticized the Nixon administration. His opposition to war and incompetence in Washington was also shown in his 2007 film 'Lions for Lambs.'
In 2019, Redford penned an opinion piece for NBC, criticizing President Donald Trump, calling his actions a 'dictator-like attack' on the country's values. He also urged people to vote for Joe Biden in the upcoming election in a 2020 piece for CNN.
However, Redford's political views evolved over the years. In 2015, he initially expressed a more positive view of Trump, stating that his unconventional approach was needed in politics. But as the years passed, his opinion of Trump changed. In 2016, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Barack Obama, but by 2018, he felt 'out of place' in his country, without specifically mentioning the president.
Redford was not always a fan of politics. As a younger man, he found Richard Nixon boring. However, his experiences in Europe, where he spent time in Paris and Florence and was challenged politically, may have shaped his political views.
In a deleted article for the Sundance Institute in 2018, Redford expressed sadness over the failure of civil servants and their turn towards bigotry and mean-spiritedness. His criticisms of the Keystone XL pipeline, which was rejected by Obama in 2015, were met with criticism from Alberta Premier Alison Redford (no relation), who questioned the credibility of people who use energy and criticize pipeline plans.
Donald Trump, the U.S. president, paid tribute to Redford, stating that he was one of the best actors during a certain period. Redford, however, was not a fan of politics when he was younger and did not normally publicly disclose who he was voting for. But this election year is different, and Redford stated that Biden was made for this moment.
Redford's legacy will live on, not just in his iconic roles on the big screen, but also in his tireless advocacy for environmental causes and his political activism. His passing is a loss not just for the film industry, but for all who believe in a better, more sustainable future.
