Robert Redford Made His Final Onscreen Appearance Months Before His Death

The late Hollywood giant, who sadly passed away recently, came out of retirement for what would become his final onscreen role after stepping away from the big screen in 2019.

Robert Redford, the beloved star of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "Out of Africa," has died. The decorated actor passed away in his sleep on Tuesday morning, September 16, 2025, at his home in Utah. He was 89.

Months before his death, Redford had come out of retirement to make a cameo in the acclaimed AMC+ detective series, "Dark Winds." The walk-on role was his first in six years after his last onscreen appearance in 2019's "Avengers: Endgame."

He played a prison inmate in the season three premiere episode, which aired March 9, opposite "Game of Thrones" author and "Dark Winds" fellow executive producer George R.R. Martin, where the pair were seen playing a game of chess.

The scene was shot in a closed set at Redford's request. Chris Eyre, who directed the episode, told Vulture that the cameo had been "in the air since the first season." And as much as he was excited — and nervous — to work with Redford, the actor made it a breeze.

"I've known Bob for decades, and just to be sitting there going, 'Oh, I'm gonna direct Robert Redford,' struck fear in me," Eyre said. "Bob is so kind and he was so nice on the day, and so was George."

Originally, the scene was not going to have dialogue but Redford wanted to add an ad-lib, which was approved by showrunner John Wirth. The line was, "George, the whole world is waiting," referring to Martin's character taking too long to make his next move on the chessboard.

"It's one thing if I write a line and George perceives me as making fun of him — even though I wasn't and I never would," Wirth said. "It's another thing if Redford does it."