Robert Redford always had a thorn in his side for not having won this award in the category he dominated.
The award that eluded Robert Redford despite coming close with ‘The Sting’ and winning it with ‘Ordinary People’
The news of the moment is as sad as ever: Robert Redford has passed away at the age of 89. His body is laid to rest, but his legacy lives on more than ever. The American actor is always reminded of one of the thorns in his side of the career: winning an Oscar for Best Actor.
Robert Redford’s journey through the Oscars
Redford was nominated for Best Actor at the 1974 Oscars for his incredible role as Johnny Hooker in ‘The Sting’. Everyone thought he would win. However, a sweet Jack Lemmon ‘stole’ it from him after his performance in ‘Save the Tiger’ (1973).
More than any other movie, ORDINARY PEOPLE means the world to me. Eternally grateful for it and countless other Robert Redford projects. Farewell, sir. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Q3rh3oX6KU
— Andrew Carden (@AwardsConnect) September 16, 2025
His fortunes would change in 1981, when the actor stepped into the spotlight. He won the Oscar for Best Director for “Ordinary People” (1980), which softened one of his career setbacks in terms of recognition. He was only nominated once for his acting skills. As a producer, he did receive a nomination for “Quiz Show” (1993).
Robert Redford was my favorite, it’s hard to process that he is gone. His performances made more movies I love than anyone else, I’d take The Sting over any film for flawless perfection. We don’t expect famous people to also be good people but he was. He belongs to the ages pic.twitter.com/GxbtSEdhJu
— Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) September 16, 2025
The Academy knew that Robert Redford deserved more, and demonstrated this in 2002 when it awarded him an honorary Oscar for his contributions to cinema and for founding the Sundance Institute, a non-profit organization whose goal is to support independent cinema not only in the United States but also around the world. The Sundance Film Festival was founded by Redford. Quentin Tarantino and Steven Soderbergh are two of the key filmmakers who have appeared on its roster.
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