Robert Redford is an American actor, director, and activist who became a leading man in the 1970s with films like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Sting". He won an Oscar for directing "Ordinary People" and later founded the Sundance Film Festival, greatly influencing independent cinema. Redford’s blend of movie-star charisma and commitment to storytelling has left an indelible mark on Hollywood.