Award-winning actress Scarlett Johansson has reflected on the profound influence legendary actor and director Robert Redford had on her career, dating back to her first major role alongside him in The Horse Whisperer (1998).
At just 11 years old, Johansson played Grace Maclean, while Redford portrayed Tom Booker and also directed the film. Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 22, Johansson described how her experience on that set continues to inspire her nearly three decades later.
Now 40, Johansson revealed that Redford sparked her interest in directing, a dream she has since realized with her debut film Eleanor the Great, set to premiere on Friday, September 26.
Reflecting on her time with Redford, she said: “It was when I was working with Bob. I remember seeing him on set… he would have those intimate conversations with me, and then he would be coordinating a huge scene. That job seemed pretty interesting. I thought, ‘I’d like to do that job someday.’”
Though she joked about the challenges of directing—“Who would ever want that job?! You’re basically just answering questions”—she credited Redford’s warmth and patience as a guiding light. “He was such a warm, kind, patient, generous, wonderful man, and he would take so much time with me every day,” Johansson added.
Her heartfelt remarks came just weeks after the passing of Robert Redford, who died at the age of 89 at his home in Sundance, Utah, surrounded by family. Redford, an Academy Award-winning actor, director, and the driving force behind the Sundance Institute, left a towering legacy as both a Hollywood icon and a champion of independent cinema.
