Though he turned in several notable performances during the 1980s—most notably in the mythical baseball drama The Natural (1984)—and returned as a romantic leading man in such sentimental romantic dramas as Indecent Proposal (1993) and Up Close and Personal (1996), his best efforts were reserved for behind the camera, where he made a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s most respected filmmakers.

Redford’s second directorial feature was the little-seen but well reviewed The Milagro Beanfield War (1988). He attracted far more attention and praise for his third effort, a beautifully filmed adaptation of Norman Maclean’s popular autobiographical novella, A River Runs Through It (1992), starring Brad Pitt (whom many claimed was a dead ringer for the young Redford) as the rebellious half of a pair of fly-fishing brothers in Montana. In 1994, Redford earned a second Oscar nomination for Best Director for the smart drama Quiz Show, a chronicle of the real-life scandal on the 1950s game show Twenty-One, starring Ralph Fiennes. He adapted another bestselling novel to the screen in 1999, directing and starring in a film version of Nicholas Sparks’ adult romance The Horse Whisperer. His most recent directorial project is The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), starring Matt Damon and Will Smith.

In late 2001, Redford headlined The Last Castle, playing a decorated general in a military prison who squares off against the corrupt prison head (James Gandolfini). He also costarred with younger heartthrob Pitt in the well-reviewed thriller Spy Game. In addition to his own illustrious film career, Redford has become known as the godfather of American independent film. He founded the Sundance Institute in 1981 near his summer home in the mountains of Utah (where he had gradually acquired 5,500 acres of property since 1963) with the intention of promoting the development of new screenwriters and directors and generally supporting the production of innovative dramatic and documentary films. Since 1985, the Sundance Film Festival has served as the premiere American showcase for new independent films, attracting nearly 20,000 people every year and launching the careers of a number of talented filmmakers. In addition, Redford and his colleagues launched the Sundance Channel, a cable television channel devoted to airing and promoting independent short and full-length features.

With his wife, Lola, Redford raised three children, Shauna, Jamie, and Amy, in the family’s homes in New York City and Utah. Redford and Lola, who have four grandchildren, divorced in 1985. A long-term relationship with Kathy O’Rear, a costume designer, ended in 1995. Redford has since been romantically linked to Sibylle Szaggars, a painter.