Actor Robert Redford's Son, James Redford, Dead at Age 58
James Redford, a producer, writer and director, and the son of actor Robert Redford, has passed away after battling liver conditions for much of his life. He was 58.
At the age of 25, Redford was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, which led to him receiving two liver transplants in 1993, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
He earned a BA in creative writing and film and an MA in literature, and after going through the pain and struggle of his own condition, he turned his attention toward creating documentaries on a variety of ethical topics.
Known for documentaries like “The Kindness of Strangers,” “The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia,” “Paper Tigers” and “Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope,” Redford was also a member of a band known as “Olive and the Dirty Martinis.”
“I just love meeting people and hearing their stories,” he said, according to CNN. “Being in the documentary filmmaking world ensures your life is one long continuing education course.”
“You’re constantly learning more — not only about topics but also about human nature. And then to be able to apply a love of sound and vision into how you shape that content — that’s the icing on the cake.”
In the ’90s, Redford founded the “James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness.” Later, he and his father started “The Redford Center” to focus on producing environmental stories.
Throughout his life, Redford dealt with complications stemming from his liver condition, including bile-duct cancer, which is what eventually claimed his life.
According to what his wife, Kyle Redford, told The Salt Lake Tribune, they’d discovered the cancer last November while waiting for another liver transplant.
“Jamie died today,” Kyle Redford shared on Oct. 16. “We’re heartbroken. He lived a beautiful, impactful life & was loved by many.”
“He will be deeply missed. As his wife of 32 yrs, I’m most grateful for the two spectacular children we raised together. I don’t know what we would’ve done w/o them over the past 2yrs.”
Jamie died today. We’re heartbroken. He lived a beautiful, impactful life & was loved by many. He will be deeply missed. As his wife of 32 yrs, I’m most grateful for the two spectacular children we raised together. I don’t know what we would’ve done w/o them over the past 2yrs. pic.twitter.com/ynDN2jSZ04
— kyle redford (@kyleredford) October 16, 2020
The elder Redford’s representative, Cindi Berger, said that the actor “is mourning with his family during this difficult time and asks for privacy.”
“The grief is immeasurable with the loss of a child,” Berger told People. “Jamie was a loving son, husband and father.”
“His legacy lives on through his children, art, filmmaking and devoted passion to conservation and the environment.”
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