From Weston to Yale: Robert Redford’s Time in Connecticut

Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor and director, passed away on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. He died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Sundance, Utah, surrounded by loved ones.

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You know about his passing, you know his films, but did you know about Redford's Nutmeg State connections?

Robert Redford’s Connecticut Connections:

• From 1978 to the mid-1990s, Redford lived in Weston, Connecticut, just a mile from fellow actor Paul Newman in Westport. Their families became close friends during this time.
• In 2004, Redford and Newman co-hosted a fundraiser for the renovation of the Westport Country Playhouse, held at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich. The event featured performances by Seth Meyers, Harry Connick Jr., and James Naughton, and was hosted by Brian Williams.
• Redford visited Yale University in May 1980 as a Chubb Fellow, speaking to students about energy solutions and advocating for solar energy and conservation.
• He founded the Sundance brand in 1989 to support artists and craftspeople worldwide. A Sundance store operated in downtown Westport until its closure in 2025 due to economic challenges.

I’m 46, so it’s fair to say I missed the absolute height of Redford’s Hollywood reign—but I’m a film obsessive, so I’ve seen the classics like All the President’s Men and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Few actors ever commanded the screen quite like Robert Redford. And he didn’t stop there—he kept making phenomenal films well into my adulthood, with standout roles in Spy Game, The Last Castle, Lions for Lambs, and The Company You Keep. I love Redford on the silver screen.

Read More: 10 Famous Actors and Filmmakers Who Attended Yale 

It’s especially tough for my community—the redheads. We just lost the first true king of redhead cool, and there’s no one coming for the crown anytime soon. RIP, T’s and P’s, eyes to the sky—we love you, Bobby!