He is said to have changed Hollywood forever, not only as an actor but as a director who pushed independent films to counter the “dumbing-down” of modern movie making. One could sound off titles like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” or “The Way We Were” alongside Barbra Streisand (#13 FCIR), but the man Robert Redford wanted to be known for more than just a pretty face. Like other rare #11s on the Hollywood scene, he had many deeper side-passions, including helping the environment and preferring life on his secluded Utah Ranch (he once even campaigned against a six-lane highway in a Utah canyon). Robert was also a bit of a rebel, not unlike fellow #11 and left-hander Tom Cruise, asking Warner Brothers at age 15 if he could do stunt work (to which he was laughed off).
Redford was left-handed, a common trait we find around dominant Left-brain individuals who often are greater risk-takers, or artistic, or just all around more fluid in life. Remember, the left hand is controlled by the Right hemisphere brain, causing a person to access the right side more readily. Consequently, Robert also aspired to be artist (selling side-walk sketches), and struggled with depression for much of his early life. Like former fellow #11 Christopher Reeve, he was also quite athletic, enjoying horse riding and frequently playing tennis.
Redford was also said to be a tenacious, tireless worker. When asked how he wanted to be remembered, he replied, “For the work. What really matters is the work. And what matters to me is doing the work. I’m not looking at the back end: ‘What am I going to get out of this? What’s going to be the reward?’ I’m just looking at the work, the pleasure of being able to do the work.” And again, “There’s nowhere to go. But climbing up, that struggle, that to me is where the fun is. That to me is the thrill.”
Hard working? Struggling? Yes, Robert Redford was a true savant in several fields, fueled by his #11 driven design with some extra help from the Right brain. “I have no regrets,” he later said, “because I’ve done everything I could to the best of my ability.”
Written by: Staff
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