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Mark Ruffalo shared a letter he once wrote to Robert Redford — but never sent — on Instagram as he reacted to news of Redford’s death
“You have had the most profound impact on my life and career in so many ways,” Ruffalo wrote in the letter
Ruffalo and Redford costarred in the 2001 prison drama The Last Castle
Mark Ruffalo is sharing a letter he once wrote to Robert Redford, but never sent, in light of Redford’s death at 89.
After news broke that the legendary actor and director died on Tuesday, Sept. 16, Ruffalo joined scores of other celebrities who paid tribute to Redford by sharing a lengthy letter on Instagram that Ruffalo said he wrote to Redford “when I learned he was ill.”
“I didn’t get it to him before the news today. This is what a real American Hero looks like,” Ruffalo wrote in the caption to his post. “A man who brought people together, lived and practiced empathy, and created good and useful organizations that made peoples lives better and included anyone who had an interest. Please remember him well.”
Ruffalo and Redford worked together on the 2001 movie The Last Castle, in which Redford starred as an American military officer sentenced to serve prison time at a military prison overseen by an oppressive warden (James Gandolfini). Ruffalo portrayed another prisoner in the movie.
The Spotlight actor’s letter to Redford details, among a number of topics, a staged reading of Redford’s 1976 movie All the President’s Men that Ruffalo took part in, as well as memories of working with Redford on The Last Castle.
Ruffalo also expressed gratitude for Redford’s work with the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival, which Redford co-founded, and expressed condolences regarding the death of Redford’s son James, who died of cancer in 2020 at 58.
“You have had the most profound impact on my life and career in so many ways. You have been a hero of mine,” Ruffalo wrote, in part. “I told you before. The short time together we had on The Last Castle was seminal to me. To be acting opposite of you. To have you be so generous with me. I felt so safe with you and looked after.”
Redford’s rep told PEOPLE in a statement on Sept. 16 that Redford “passed away on Sept. 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved.”
“He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy,” they added.
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Mark Ruffalo and Robert Redford in 2001’s The Last Castle
“I am so proud I got to work with you,” Ruffalo wrote elsewhere in his letter to Redford. “I am proud that I got to spend some time with you and proud I have been able to follow in your footsteps even in the smallest of ways. You are still a hero to me. Thank you for being my teacher and role model.”
Read the original article on People
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source ca.news.yahoo.com ’
