By Zahna Eklund

Copyright dailystar

Hollywood icon Robert Redford has peacefully passed away in his sleep at the ripe age of 89, leaving behind an unmatched cinematic legacy . His illustrious career spanned several decades, with him dazzling audiences both in front of and behind the camera. He bagged a directing Oscar for the 1980 film ‘Ordinary People’, and was honoured with a lifetime achievement Oscar in 2002 for his significant contributions to the world of cinema. Redford is best remembered for his performances in timeless classics such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, All the President’s Men, The Way We Were, and Out of Africa. However, even if you haven’t seen any of these iconic films, you might have unknowingly come across Redford elsewhere. Internet users are just now discovering that Redford is actually the face behind a popular meme – one that has been wrongly credited to another actor for years. Known as the “Jeremiah Johnson Nod of Approval”, the meme features a long-haired, bearded man nodding approvingly as the camera slowly zooms into his face. It’s typically used as a reaction image to express approval. This short clip, often shared as a GIF, shows Robert Redford in character from the 1972 film Jeremiah Johnson. However, many have mistaken the star for a completely different actor – Zach Galifianakis. After the heartbreaking announcement of Redford’s death, the X account Know Your Meme shared the news, declaring: “Robert Redford, dead at 89, leaves behind a cultural imprint that stretched from the silver screen to our computer screens.” Social media users were left utterly stunned, with many admitting they had absolutely no clue the famous meme actually featured Robert Redford. One baffled user commented: “Today years old, finding out that’s not Zach Galifianakis.” A second person chimed in: “I thought that was Zach Galifianakis? !”. The Know Your Meme account then replied: “You and everyone else.” News of Robert Redford’s death first emerged on Tuesday (September 16) through a statement released by the star’s publicist, Cindi Berger, who serves as chairman and chief executive of talent agency Rogers and Cowan PMK. The statement revealed: “Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah – the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved. He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy.” Amongst Robert’s remarkable accomplishments was establishing the Sundance Institute, a charitable organisation dedicated to championing independent filmmakers. This Institute organises the yearly Sundance Festival, widely regarded as America’s biggest independent film festival. In response to the devastating news, they released a statement saying: “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. “Beyond his enormous contributions to culture at large, we will miss his generosity, clarity of purpose, curiosity, rebellious spirit, and his love for the creative process. “We are humbled to be among the stewards of his remarkable legacy, which will continue to guide the institute in perpetuity.”