‘I’ve been doing it since I was 21,’ 81-year-old screen star says of his acting career
Robert Redford’s illustrious acting career has reached its end.
The legendary film star, 81, said he is retiring from acting after more than five decades in the industry and dozens of movie and TV roles.
“Never say never, but I pretty well concluded that this would be it for me in terms of acting, and (I’ll) move towards retirement after this ‘cause I’ve been doing it since I was 21,” Redford told Entertainment Weekly.
“I thought, Well, that’s enough. And why not go out with something that’s very upbeat and positive?”
Redford had told the Walker Art Center in 2016 that he anticipated The Old Man & The Gun, which premieres September 28, would be his final role, and he’s now confirming that’s still the case.
His many memorable acting performances include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), All the President’s Men (1976) and The Natural (1984), and his directorial debut – the acclaimed drama Ordinary People – won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1981 and also netted him Best Director honours.
Redford did not confirm whether he will consider directing any projects in the future, telling EW, “we’ll see about that.
The California-born star began his acting career with a number of TV appearances before making his film debut in 1962 with War Hunt. His most recent role before The Old Man & The Gun came last year with the romantic drama Our Souls at Night, which also starred Jane Fonda.
In his upcoming movie, Redford portrays the real-life American criminal Forrest Tucker, a prison escape artist who carried out multiple bank robberies before his death in 2004.
