Inside Robert Redford's return to acting at 88: His last role was in 2019

At 88, Robert Redford has surprised fans and industry insiders with his return to the silver screen, following his legendary career in the entertainment industry. After a six-year hiatus from acting, Redford has taken on a new brief role, appearing in season 3 of the Western thriller 'Dark Winds' on Sunday, March 9.

The actor played an incarcerated man alongside 'Game of Thrones' author George R. R. Martin. The scene was filmed on a closed set at Redford’s request. “I never thought I could get to a place in my life where I would know Robert Redford, let alone be in a scene with him,” 'Dark Winds' star and executive producer Zahn McClarnon said to Vulture before the season 3 premiere.

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Director Chris Eyre also said to the publication that a potential Redford cameo had been “in the air since the first season. But it only happened until now in the third season of the show. “I was never really sure it was going to happen until it happened,” showrunner John Wirth said about the important moment. 

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This is his last screen appearance in 2019 on 'Avengers: Endgame' reprising his 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' role as former S.H.I.E.L.D. director Alexander Pierce. Despite turning 88, the star still has a passion for acting, as he previously revealed in 2018 when he said it was "a mistake" to announce his retirement after his role in 'The Old Man & The Gun.'

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“Never say never, but I pretty well concluded that this would be it for me in terms of acting, and [I’ll] move towards retirement after this ’cause I’ve been doing it since I was 21,” he told Entertainment Weekly at the time, referring to his six-decade career in Hollywood.

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“I thought, ‘Well, that’s enough.’ And why not go out with something that’s very upbeat and positive?” he told the publication, but he would soon change his mind, continuing his career.

© Rich Polk