‘They say never meet your heroes. They are wrong’

Ralph Fiennes, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James Vanderbilt and more on working with cinema’s blue-eyed boy

"He was always the coolest, calmest person in the room"

"He looked at me through the crowd and smiled. It was the sweetest smile – I’ll always treasure it"

With his kindness, his generosity and his extraordinary aura, Robert Redford won hearts all over Hollywood. Here, co-stars and colleagues pay tribute to the late actor

19 Sep 2025

G2 - THE GUARDIAN

'At every turn he chose to disarm, to put you at ease'

   - James Vanderbilt (Truth, 2015)

He knew the effect he had on people. Crew members who’d been working on movies for 30 years would turn into teenagers at the sight of him. Cate Blanchett told me she changed clothes three times before coming to work in case she bumped into him before she went into wardrobe.

He started out as a stage actor, then became the most handsome and famous movie star in the world, then decided he wanted to become a producer, and used his star power to produce some of the greatest films ever made, then he decided to direct. His first film as a director, Ordinary People, won best picture and best director at the Academy Awards. Of course, he made a stone-cold classic right out of the gate.

And now I was directing him in my first film. At every turn, he chose to disarm, to put you at ease. The first time I went to dinner with him, he said: “What’s your story? I’d like to hear yours.” Nobody had ever asked me that question, before or since. It might be the kindest question I’ve ever been asked.

All he asked for on set was a chair and a copy of the New York Times. Every weekend he would have me come to his apartment and go through the next week’s work. No big deal.

We shot in Australia. He had never been there before. That blew my mind. I couldn’t conceive of a place he hadn’t been, an experience he hadn’t lived. On his days off he would go out and explore. “I went to the zoo yesterday,” he’d announce, proudly. We told him we knew, because his visit had been breathlessly covered by the media. They covered his every move. He knew that a random encounter for him would be a story the other person would tell for the rest of their lives. He was everything you wanted him to be, in an industry where so often that isn’t the case. They say you should never meet your heroes. They are wrong.

‘We were locked up in a hotel for months. 

What a treat!’

   - Lena Olin (Havana, 1990)

Redford was almost a fairytale figure. A dream cowboy of the sort I had imagined as a little girl that American men would be like. He seemed to have the answers and the ambition to save us all. Ridiculously handsome, always so articulate and bright. Beneath that cool surface lay a volcano of emotions and desires.

We spent six months together shooting Havana in the Dominican Republic at a time of political instability. That meant we were basically locked up together on the top floor of the hotel for months. What a treat!

‘I was a nobody. 

But he knew my name’

   - F Murray Abraham (All the President’s Men, 1976)

Me and two other actors were gathered at the catering truck one night. None of us had any scenes with him, but he came over to us and said, “Hi, I’m Bob Redford,” to which I had to reply, “We know who you are,” and he said, “And I know who you are,” and he called us each by our first names.

I was absolutely a nobody, so he must have learned the names only minutes before he met us, but what did that matter – it was a wonderful way to start that job. A long time ago, and still as fresh in my memory as yesterday.

‘My God. 

He just kissed me’

   - Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Spy Game, 2001)

When I accepted the role portraying Robert’s assistant, I don’t think it actually registered that all my scenes would be with this iconic actor who I’d grown up watching. My first day on set I turned into a bag of nerves.

After we blocked the scene, he quietly asked if I would mind going over lines with him and discussing our characters’ history and relationship. I was stunned. I thought he’d be aloof and star-like, but what I found was a warm, generous actor. His twinkling eyes lent encouragement and his smile made you feel like you’d won something. He was light.

When we shot our final scene, on the last take his character leans in and kisses me on the forehead. Tony Scott came to me afterwards and said: “That was beautiful. What were you thinking about?” I made up something like, “She’s worried because he’s going to do something really dangerous.” But I was actually thinking: “My God, Robert Redford just kissed me.”

‘I’m no horseman but he made me feel I could be’

   - Ralph Fiennes (Quiz Show, 1994)

I remember his patience and kindness as I became acquainted with all things 50s America – and American culture generally. Being directed by him was challenging and intense and fun. I loved his droll sense of humour as he guided me through screen-acting skills and process. His maverick spirit was readily apparent and he made clear his wariness regarding Hollywood cliches and practice.

I treasure my experience of working with him, which was also an introduction to a great filmmaker with a true artistic vision of an American cinema that could be intelligent, original and politically provocative.

He took me riding near his home in New Mexico. I’m no horseman, but he made me feel I could be.

'Robert seemed the last person who'd need to buy somebody for the night'

   - Adrian Lyne (Indecent Proposal, 1993)

Robert was really the only true film star that I’ve worked with. He’d walk on to the set and everything would go quiet. He had an extraordinary presence and aura. He also walked better than anybody on earth. Very straight and very beautiful to watch. Casting him in that role was interesting, because Redford seemed to be the last person you’d think would need to buy somebody for the night.

Making the movie, I was very aware of his being a director as well as an actor, and of him watching me be a director. It was almost like a secret between us both. I’ll always remember shooting the scene in which Robert was looking at Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore as they danced. I was on the camera and shooting little moments on Robert. Then he looked at me through the crowd and smiled.

I think he saw the director’s agony which you get when nothing’s going right. It was the sweetest smile and I used that shot for him smiling at them in the scene. I’ll always treasure the way he looked at me through that crowd.

‘My mom screamed and put him in a bear hug’

   - Norman Reedus (The Conspirator, 2010)

At the premiere, I remember speaking to Robert in the first couple of rows. The movie was about to start and I just heard this shrieking from the back of the theatre. Then my mom came running down the aisle towards us, like she was watching the Beatles. The whole theatre kind of stopped as she ran in and put Bob in a bear hug. She was screaming and he was looking over his shoulder at me like: “Help! Get her off me!”

I loved how honest he was. He just vibrated at this level where he could see everybody’s point of view. He oozed this levelheadedness and knowledge of how the world works and what it all meant. Everybody else was sort of panicky around him, but he was always the coolest, calmest person in the room.

I lost my dad early, so if there’s a cool older guy that I can latch on to and who likes me then I really love them. And I really gravitated towards Robert.

‘He offered me kindness when I needed it most’

   - Terrence Howard (The Company You Keep, 2012)

Robert Redford gave the world more than extraordinary films. He gave us sanctuary. By founding Sundance [film festival], he created a refuge where independent voices could be heard, seen and honoured. Without Sundance’s sheltering light, many of us, myself included, would never have had the room to be recognised. For that gift alone, his legacy is for ever woven into my life.

We worked together only once, yet it was during one of the hardest emotional moments of my life. It’s difficult enough to hold your own opposite such an icon, but when you’re weighed down by personal turmoil, the challenge can feel impossible. What I found in Robert surprised me.

He offered me steadiness, kindness and a sense of belief when I needed it most. It wasn’t grand, it wasn’t scripted – it was simply human.

Robert’s gift was never just his talent. It was his stewardship. He didn’t hoard praise or power, he used them to lift others. His films changed cinema, but his leadership changed culture.

‘His honesty undercut what everybody might expect of him’

   - Judd Hirsch (Ordinary People, 1980)

I was shocked when I learned of Robert’s death. I never knew he got old. Robert was a year younger than me and the last time I saw him, I thought, well, he ain’t ever gonna look as old as me, no matter what happens to him. But then I realised, no, he’s human.

When he asked if I’d be interested in playing the psychiatrist in Ordinary People, he sent me the novel it was based on. The description of my character was an obese, fumbling man who couldn’t turn off the radio and had to look up his clients’ names. I said: “I’m not obese.” He said: “Don’t worry, we’ll just put some sweaters on you.”

I felt a tremendous responsibility playing that part. It was a special movie for him because it was about something he had thought about. Two of his own kids gone to therapy and he never, ever believed that it was any good.

We don’t see people like Robert any more. His honesty undercut what everybody might expect of this handsome star. I think people would’ve voted for him if he’d run for political office. I know I would.