Robert Redford Stun Fans by Announcing He's Stepping Away from Acting After 'One Last Job'
Nobody likes to say goodbye, especially when goodbye means the end of an era. But we reach a certain point in life when the new becomes old and the present becomes the past.
The actors and actresses I grew up watching appear in few and far between films these days. They’re replaced by the newer, the shinier, the hipper and the younger.
But nothing and no one can really replace a classic. You’ve heard the old saying, “an oldie, but a goodie?”
Well, that’s exactly the type of actor Robert Redford has become. It’s hard to believe the original Sundance Kid will turn 82 in just a couple of weeks.
We get so accustomed to seeing our favorite faces on the silver screen that we forget they age too. Their films freeze them in time, taking us back to that era, causing us to forget the now.
While Redford has made a lifelong career out of acting, he told Entertainment Weekly he’ll soon be calling “Cut!” on that take of his life.
In 2017, Redford produced and starred with Jane Fonda in the Netflix original romance, Our Souls at Night. The film is based on the best-selling novel by Kent Haruf.
Now Redford will hit theaters again when his latest film, The Old Man and the Gun, releases on September 28.
The 2001 Academy Award Lifetime Achievement recipient will play Forrest Tucker. The film follows Tucker’s real-life, bank-robbing, prison-breaking story.
While any true Redford fan was probably already planning to see the film, his most recent announcement is likely to make Old Man one of the more highly anticipated films of the year.
Sadly, Old Man will mark Redford’s farewell to acting. Though he’s starred in dozens of films, he’s only been nominated for a best acting Oscar once — for his role in 1974 as Johnny Hooker in The Sting.
There may still be an acting Oscar in Redford’s future, as his final role will make him eligible for a 2019 Academy Award.
But Redford doesn’t seem fazed by the end of this era. Perhaps he’ll even take this opportunity to focus more on directing.
“We’ll see about that,” he told Entertainment Weekly. Redford took home the Oscar for Best Director in 1981 for Ordinary People, and received a directing nomination for the 1995 Best Picture, Quiz Show.
It may be uncertain if Redford will direct future projects, but a 2016 interview with Walker could give us a better clue as to his plans.
“I’m going to say, ‘Okay, that’s goodbye to all that,'” Redford said in his interview, referring to his final two acting projects, “and then just focus on directing.”
Director, actor or producer, the iconic star will not be forgotten. He’s looking forward to ending his acting career and moving toward retirement on a lighter note.
“Why not go out with something that’s very upbeat and positive?” he shared with Entertainment Weekly.
When he spoke of his role as Forrest Tucker, Redford added, “I wonder if he was not averse to getting caught so he that could enjoy the real thrill of his life, which is to escape?”
Now Redford will escape to retirement following his “one last job.” Thankfully it’s not really “goodbye.” We’ll always have his old films — the best way to remember The Way We Were star exactly the way he was.
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