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James “Jamie” Redford may have died in 2020, but his life and legacy continue to resonate today. The filmmaker, activist, and son of actor Robert Redford passed away at the age of 58 after a battle with liver disease and bile-duct cancer. He left behind his wife, Kyle, and their two children, Dylan and Lena, as well as a body of work dedicated to storytelling and social change.
Now, following the death of Robert in 2025, many are reflecting not only on the legendary actor’s extraordinary career but also on the family he cherished, including his late son James. From co-founding The Redford Center with his father to directing powerful documentaries about health, education, and the environment, James carved out his own meaningful place in Hollywood and beyond.
Learn more about him below.
He Battled Liver Disease From a Young Age
After confirming the news that her husband had passed away, James’ widow, Kyle, shared some details of her husband’s cancer battle. In an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune, published on October 19, 2020, Kyle shared that her husband’s liver disease had returned two years ago, and while awaiting a liver transplant, the cancer was discovered this past November 2019.
Jamie died today. We’re heartbroken. He lived a beautiful, impactful life & was loved by many. He will be deeply missed. As his wife of 32 yrs, I’m most grateful for the two spectacular children we raised together. I don’t know what we would’ve done w/o them over the past 2yrs. pic.twitter.com/ynDN2jSZ04
— kyle redford (@kyleredford) October 16, 2020
His Wife Confirmed His Death
On October 16, 2020, Kyle took to Twitter to share with fans and followers that her husband had, indeed, lost his battle with cancer. “Jamie died today,” she began her emotional post, which included a number of candid photos of James with his family. “We’re heartbroken. He lived a beautiful, impactful life & was loved by many. He will be deeply missed. As his wife of 32 yrs, I’m most grateful for the two spectacular children we raised together. I don’t know what we would’ve done w/o them over the past 2yrs.”
He Had Health Battles Throughout His Life
In 1993, James underwent two liver transplants years after he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease affecting the liver called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis during his youth, per IMDb. After his 1993 surgeries, he founded the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness, a nonprofit with a mission to educate the general public on organ and tissue donation.
He Was a Filmmaker
James devoted his career to mostly directing documentaries. He directed a total of eight films, with another still in production at the time of his death. His first film came out in 2003 — Spin. The film starred Stanley Tucci and Dana Delany and followed the story of a young boy named Eddie following the loss of his parents. In 2012, James began getting into documentary filmmaking with is first non-narrative film The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia. He earned a number of honors at various film festivals throughout his career.
He Was a Husband and Father of Two
James, who is the third child of Robert Redford and his first wife Lola Van Wagenen, was married to his wife, Kyle Redford, for 32 years. They had two children together — a son named Dylan and a daughter named Lena.
