Scarlett Johansson is looking back on an early pivotal moment in her career — and the legendary director who helped shape it.
On Tuesday, it was announced that actor, director, filmmaker and environmental activist Robert Redford passed away in his sleep in his house in Utah at 89 years old. Following his passing, Johansson released a heartfelt statement to Rolling Stone, reflecting their time together on the 1998 film The Horse Whisperer.
Born in 1936 in Santa Monica, California, Redford rose to fame in the 1960s with roles in classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, which cemented him as a leading man of his era. Beyond acting, Redford won an Academy Award for directing Ordinary People in 1980 and went on to create several acclaimed films. He also founded the Sundance Institute and Film Festival, which paved the way for independent cinema and left a huge mark on American film culture.
Redford, who starred and directed The Horse Whisperer, plays Tom Booker, a legendary “horse whisperer” based in Montana. When teenage Grace (Johansson) is traumatized by a riding accident that badly injures her horse and kills her best friend, her mother, Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas), takes her daughter and her horse, Pilgrim, to Tom.
“Every day before each scene, he would take the time to sit with me and walk me through all of the beats that led my character up until that particular point in the story,” Johansson recalled to Rolling Stone. “No matter the reality of the days’ rush, I always felt he had all the time in the world for our work. Bob created an environment on set that was calm and precious; a place where actors could make discoveries. He was patient and warm and kind.”
The Black Widow star was only 13 years old during filming and 14 years old when the movie was released. She also went on to share that her experience working with Redford shaped the rest of her career.
“Bob taught me what acting could be, and it was from his generosity and patience that I was inspired to pursue the possibilities of the craft,” the 40-year-old actress wrote. “You inspired so many artists, myself included, to go deeper, to stay present, to push creative boundaries, and to explore further, and for that, we are forever grateful.”
After landing minor roles in films such as North (1994), Just Cause (1995) and Home Alone 3 (1997), Johansson first gained attention in films like The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World, before breaking out with Sofia Coppola’s film Lost in Translation in 2003. Over the past 20 years, she has showcased her range in everything from dramas like Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit, Wes Anderson films such as Isle of Dogs, Asteroid City and The Phoenician Scheme, lent her voice in Sing (2016) and Sing 2 (2021) and of course, her decade-long run as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Recently, Johansson made her directorial debut in the film Eleanor the Great, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last week and will arrive in theaters on Sept. 26. In July, it was revealed that she had achieved the status of the highest-grossing actress of all time, thanks to her film Jurassic Park Rebirth, and has a total net worth estimated at around $165 million.
Johansson’s words and memories highlight not just a formative time in her own career, but also showed the world the kind of artist and mentor Redford was throughout his life. As a filmmaker and an activist, he left behind a legacy that shaped American cinema and inspired countless artists.
Related: Former President Barack Obama Honors The Late Robert Redford
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