The late Robert Redford was honored with tributes from Leonardo DiCaprio at a film premiere in the UK yesterday. This followed earlier news that the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star had passed away at age 89.
It was revealed that Robert, also celebrated for movies like All the President’s Men (1976), died peacefully surrounded by family members in the morning. The announcement sparked an outpouring of tributes to the distinguished actor and filmmaker, who despite stepping back from acting in recent years, had made his final screen appearance just months ago.
Leonardo, 50, offered his respects at the premiere of his latest film One Battle After Another (2025) in London last night. While attending the event in Leicester Square, he called Robert an “absolute legend” and an “inspiration.” The news comes after an expert opined that Prince Harry faces a ‘far more difficult challenge’ after his King Charles’ reunion.
In conversation with Deadline, Leonardo expressed that he has “a lot” to share about the departed actor, noting that his passing represents an “incredible loss”. He continued: “I admired that man very much, not only as an actor, but as a director and an environmentalist.” When questioned whether Robert had influenced his own environmental activism, he referenced the environmental advocacy organization the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDR), which counts both Leonardo and Robert among its trustees, in his answer.
The Titanic star also highlighted Robert’s establishment of the Sundance Institute, with the late performer reportedly seeking to champion independent filmmakers. The organization is said to have subsequently taken over a festival, which eventually evolved into the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah, in 1985.
Leonardo DiCaprio, while discussing the influence of the late Robert Redford on his environmental activism, acknowledged that the veteran actor was indeed a significant influence and a member of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). He said: “He’s been an advocate for indigenous rights, saved a lot of land in Utah. Not only that, [he] created the Sundance Film Festival.”
DiCaprio, who is also a co-founder of the environmental group Earth Alliance, further praised Redford as an “absolute legend”. He expressed that the Candidate star was an “inspiration” and his passing this week is a “huge loss”.
At the premiere, speaking to the Tennessean, Leonardo credited Redford for laying the groundwork for films like One Battle After Another. He stated: “We have a film tonight that we’re premiering that is about … it’s a political thriller in a lot of ways and he was the one that created the foundation for all that with All the President’s Men and Three Days of the Condor.”
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Leonardo paid tribute to Redford. He shared a picture of him and captioned it: “Actor, activist, passionate environmentalist, and champion of the arts.”
He continued his tribute by writing: “His unwavering commitment to protecting our planet and inspiring change matched his immense talent.”
Leonardo concluded by assuring fans: “His impact will endure for generations to come.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.the-express.com ’
