At 80 years old, with decades in the business, there’s likely very few things Robert Redford has left to accomplish. He’s been nominated for an Oscar three times, winning once (Best Director for “Ordinary People“) while also the recipient of the Honorary Oscar in 2002. The filmmaker created the Sundance Film Festival, has been recognized for his charitable and political work, and probably has enough other awards and honors to fill a house. And it seems Redford is ready to hang up being in front of the camera.
In an interview with his grandson for the Walker Art Center, Redford revealed that following the recently wrapped “Our Souls At Night” with Jane Fonda, and David Lowery‘s upcoming “The Old Man And The Gun” with Casey Affleck, he’ll be done with acting. He’ll keep his directing on the table, but also turn to other arts too.
“…I’m getting tired of acting,” Redford said. “I’m an impatient person, so it’s hard for me to sit around and do take after take after take. At this point in my life, age 80, it’d give me more satisfaction because I’m not dependent on anybody. It’s just me, just the way it used to be, and so going back to sketching – that’s sort of where my head is right now. So, I’m thinking of moving in that direction and not acting as much.”
While it’ll be disappointing to see Redford’s presence disappear from the big screen, it’s quite a vote of confidence to give to Lowery to film his final role (and clearly, he enjoyed working with him on “Pete’s Dragon“). “The Old Man And The Gun” will see the actor playing Forrest Tucker, a lifelong bank robber who never shook the thrill of the chase, tracing his twilight years, from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounds authorities and enchants the public. Wrapped up in this chase are a detective (Affleck) who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft and a woman who loves him in spite of his chosen profession.
Sounds like a great part to say farewell to an acting career with, and Redford will begin filming the project next spring. [via The Guardian]