The Sundance Institute held a tribute event on Friday night at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, honoring its founder Robert Redford. During the ceremony, various prominent figures shared personal stories about Redford’s impact, with Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke recounting a memorable audition experience that vividly illustrated his admiration for the late legend.
Hawke’s storytelling centered on the 1992 film A River Runs Through It, directed by Redford and featuring Brad Pitt, Craig Sheffer, and Tom Skerritt. His tale not only entertained but offered insight into the sincere respect Redford inspired in those who worked with him.
Ethan Hawke Recounts Nervous Audition Encounter
Hawke described the intense preparation he underwent for his audition, revealing how eager he was to impress Redford. He rehearsed a lengthy monologue tirelessly in his New York City apartment, running lines repeatedly and losing sleep to perfect his performance ahead of the 10:15 a.m. audition slot.
He shared,
“The audition was this huge monologue and I loved Robert Redford so much, and I really wanted to impress him. I really wanted to get this part. I worked on the speech, I worked on a speech. I had this apartment in New York City, and I would run it, run it, run it, and I’d go to bed and wake up 15 minutes later and run it again. Try to go back to sleep. Did I forget the lines? Got to run it again. I didn’t sleep all night. My audition was at 10:15 a.m. I walked in the room and the door opens and there’s Robert. He, literally goes, ‘Hey Ethan, you’re from Austin, Texas, right?’ And I wet myself,”
he said.
The audience, which included industry figures such as Ryan Coogler, Chloé Zhao, Chris Pine, Rob Lowe, Nia DaCosta, and Tessa Thompson, laughed wholeheartedly at Hawke’s admission. The actor recalled that the emotional intensity of the moment forced him to step out of the room to compose himself. Despite this, Redford’s secretary called to reschedule his audition for the next day.
Redford’s Respect and Encouragement After Audition
Returning the following day, Hawke performed his audition once more with renewed confidence. Redford’s response revealed both his professionalism and kindness.
“I come in the next day, the door opens. ‘You ready to work?’ I said, ‘Absolutely.’ I do my audition. And he looks at me and he goes, ‘Lemme tell you what I do. I give everyone respect to give them notes and see how they respond to changes. And I would give you that opportunity except you just did a brilliant job and you’re too young for this part. I’m not going to cast you, but I want you to know that you’re going to have a wonderful career,’”
Hawke shared.
Although he did not secure the role, Hawke appreciated Redford’s candid compliment and encouragement. The director later surprised him by supporting his career in unexpected ways, including attending one of Hawke’s small theater productions and casting him in his film Quiz Show. Redford also helped provide a Sundance platform for Hawke’s collaboration with Richard Linklater on Before Sunrise.
“A couple months later, came to see me in a play, a 99-seat house, $10 ticket. Robert Redford showed up. The fuck?”
Hawke recounted.
Robert Redford’s Influence and Legacy
Hawke reflected on Redford’s commitment to nurturing other artists despite his own demanding career and family life.
“He championed other people. And as you get older you realize, oh wait, he had his own family. He had his own work. The fact that he took time to care about all of us here is so meaningful,”
Hawke said.
His final story about Redford involved a lighthearted moment during their last meeting more than five years ago. Hawke, who had developed a habit of wearing cowboy hats, felt Redford’s hands on his shoulders. Redford advised him to stop wearing those hats because
“people think you’re losing your hair.”
Woody Harrelson Recalls Working with Redford and Personal Memories
Shortly after Hawke’s speech, Woody Harrelson took the stage wearing a baseball cap and shared his amusing tribute to Redford. He referred to Redford’s daughter Amy’s invitation to speak about his experience filming the 1993 movie Indecent Proposal, directed by Adrian Lyne. In the film, Redford played a billionaire who offers one million dollars to a married couple, portrayed by Harrelson and Demi Moore, for a single night with the wife.
Harrelson joked,
“I admit, he’s the only man on Earth I would sell my wife to,”
followed by,
“I also admit, unabashedly, that he is the only man I would return the money to to take me for a night.”
The crowd responded with warm laughter.
He also recalled how his mother was infatuated with Redford and traveled despite a fear of flying just to visit the film set.
“Even before I dreamed of being an actor, he was part of my childhood, so imagine my unbridled euphoria when I got the chance to work with him. Naturally, my first call was to my mother. She’s terrified of flying — refuses to fly — but she got herself on the plane. … I witnessed my mom become a 16-year-old schoolgirl who did everything but squeal as she approached him on the set. And he was so sweet. He took the time to really talk with her. I’ll always be grateful for his generosity and his kindness. I never saw my mother so happy in her life, bubbling over with joy and lust.”
Redford’s Environmental Advocacy and Political Impact
Turning more serious, Harrelson described how Redford used his influence to support environmental causes. At the time of filming, a bill in Congress threatened to open six million acres of Montana wilderness to mining and timber extraction. Harrelson reached out to Redford for help in persuading a difficult senator to reconsider.
He explained,
“At the time we worked together, Congress was attempting to pass a bill that would open up six million acres of Montana wilderness to various extractive industries like mining and timber, et cetera,”
and added,
“I was trying to stop this bill, and several times I asked Robert to call a senator who had been unreachable and intractable. And you can believe that the senator took that call from Robert and changed his tune. Robert’s contribution to protecting the environment was part of what made him a truly great American. His genius as an actor was matched by his genius as a director, and he didn’t just create many iconic films. He made space for others to do the same.”
