Scarlett Johansson’s tribute to Robert Redford remembered more than a co-star: she described a director whose patience and generosity helped shape her understanding of acting. Their connection began on The Horse Whisperer (1998), when Johansson was a young actor. In an account reproduced by The Guardian, she thanked Redford for his belief, grace and guidance.
What Scarlett Johansson said about Robert Redford
Johansson’s tribute, as reported by The Guardian on September 16, 2025, centered on Redford’s manner of working with her: “He was patient and warm and kind.” She said his generosity and patience helped her see what acting could be and inspired her to pursue the craft’s possibilities.
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She also linked the generosity she remembered on set with Redford’s founding of Sundance. In her words, his love of art inspired “a place where film-makers learn from one another, inspire one another, and discover one another’s talent.” She closed by thanking him for believing in her and for his “grace and guidance.”
The Guardian and Fox News Digital reproduced versions of her statement; the reports reviewed do not include a link to an original post or an official transcript from Johansson. The quotations here are therefore attributed to those outlets’ reporting.
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How their work together shaped her recollection
A young actor on The Horse Whisperer
Redford directed and starred in The Horse Whisperer, the 1998 drama that brought him and Johansson together. Fox News Digital reports that Johansson said he cast her when she was 11. She recalled that before scenes he would sit with her and walk through the story beats that led to her character’s place in that moment.
She described the set as calm and supportive, even when the day was rushed, and said she had room to make discoveries. That account makes her tribute specific: she was remembering the time and attention Redford gave an emerging performer, not simply praising a celebrated director from a distance.
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From watching him direct to considering directing
In a retrospective account reported by Access Hollywood, Johansson credited watching Redford direct on the film with inspiring her to pursue directing when she was 12. She recalled that he could block a complicated riding-ring scene and still make time for intimate conversations with actors. To her, that combination left room for performance and discovery.
Bravo’s Inside the Actors Studio page lists a segment titled “Scarlett Johansson on Working with Robert Redford” and frames it around why she valued him as a director. The page establishes that the segment exists, but does not provide a transcript supporting further quotations.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhy Sundance was part of the tribute
Johansson’s reference to Sundance extended her personal memory into Redford’s wider work. She saw the festival and institute as an expression of the same generosity toward art and artists that she had experienced while working with him.
The Guardian also quoted Sundance’s statement after Redford’s death: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our founder and friend Robert Redford. Bob’s vision of a space and a platform for independent voices launched a movement that, over four decades later, has inspired generations of artists and redefined cinema in the US and around the world.” That is the organization’s own characterization of its founder and legacy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The context of Redford’s death
The Guardian reported on September 16, 2025, that Redford’s representative announced his death at age 89. In the tributes that followed, Johansson’s stood out for its close focus on a formative working relationship: the practical guidance she remembered, the confidence it gave her, and the influence she said it had on her ambitions as an actor and director.
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