Robert Redford and Jane Fonda’s Friendship Timeline

Robert Redford and Jane Fonda had one of the sweetest (and longest-lasting) friendships in Hollywood. 

Redford died on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at the age of 89. The Oscar winner died at his home in the mountains outside Provo, Utah, in his sleep. No cause of death has been given at this time.

Redford and Fonda first worked together in 1960’s Tall Story before collaborating again in 1966’s The Chase and 1967’s Barefoot in the Park.

While they had undeniable chemistry onscreen, what formed offscreen was a long-lasting friendship that spanned over six decades. 

In addition to their various red carpet appearances, Redford and Fonda often spoke highly of each other in interviews. 

“It’s easy,” Redford previously told Today about working with Fonda. “We’ve done many films over the years so it just worked out that way, that there was not a lot of discussion, we didn’t have to talk about a lot. Things just kind of fell into place between us, and there wasn’t much more to think about.”

Much to the delight of fans, the two eventually reunited onscreen for Netflix’s Our Souls at Night in 2017, which they promoted at Venice Film Festival.  

Take a look back at their friendship through the years. 

April 6, 1960: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford share the screen in Tall Story

Fonda and Redford each made their movie debut in 1960’s Tall Story, though Fonda starred as June Ryder and Redford had an uncredited role as a basketball player.

February 18, 1966: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford costar in The Chase 

After acting in 1960’s Tall Story, the two shared the screen again in The Chase. In the film, Fonda and Redford played estranged lovers, with Fonda’s character sparking a relationship with someone else while he was in jail.

May 25, 1967: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford costar in Barefoot in the Park 

Based on the Neil Simon play of the same name, the film followed Redford and Fonda as newlyweds whose relationship hits a few speed bumps in their five-flight New York City walk-up apartment. 

December 21, 1979: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford costar in The Electric Horseman

Just a few years later, Redford and Fonda shared the screen again in the western comedy-drama, The Electric Horseman, where they play an unlikely pair that develops a romance. 

June 2008: Jane Fonda says she had a crush on Robert Redford during every movie they did 

Speaking with PEOPLE in 2008, Fonda reflected on working with Redford in Barefoot in the Park, noting, “He is so handsome and just such a wonderful human being.” She added, “Every movie I made with him, I developed a crush on him.”

October 27, 2008: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford pose together at Sundance gala

In October 2008, Fonda and Redford, who founded the Sundance Institute, caught up at the Sundance gala dinner in New York City. They were seen sharing a laugh as they mingled with actress Christine Lahti at the event. 

March 11, 2009: Robert Redford sees Jane Fonda in 33 Variations

Fonda got support from Redford as she starred in the Broadway play 33 Variations. The two were all smiles as they reunited backstage following her performance. 

April 27, 2015: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford appear at the Chaplin Award Gala 

Fonda and Redford made a sweet appearance together at the 2015 Chaplin Award Gala as the latter was honored during the ceremony. 

May 2015: Jane Fonda talks about her friendship with Robert Redford

During an interview with The Guardian, Fonda opened up about her long-lasting friendship with Redford, noting why nothing ever developed between them romantically. 

“I was always in love with Robert Redford,” she told the publication. “I made three films with him and nothing happened because I was married and he was married.”

(His response, to the Telegraph, several years later? “I didn’t know she was in love with me!”)

September 2017: Jane Fonda says Robert Redford is a great kisser

While promoting their film, Our Souls at Night, Fonda detailed the differences between their new film and Barefoot in the Park.

“In Barefoot in the Park, I couldn’t keep my hands off of him,” Fonda said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I was constantly forcing myself on him. In Our Souls at Night, the dynamic of my character to his character was somewhat similar. I just love the fact that these films bookend our careers.”

“We played that young love just getting married [in Barefoot] and now we play old people love and old people sex,” Fonda continued. “Although, in my opinion, Ritesh [Batra, director] cut the sex scene too soon.”

“I live for sex scenes!” Fonda quipped. “He’s a great kisser. It was fun to kiss him in my 20s and then to kiss him again in my almost-80s.”

September 1, 2017: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford appear at Venice Film Festival together 

As Fonda and Redford promoted Our Souls at Night, they made a handful of cute appearances together at Venice Film Festival. In addition to holding hands on the red carpet during a photocall, they two shared a friendly hug as they attended the film’s official premiere later that night. 

September 26, 2017: Robert Redford says working with Jane Fonda is ‘easy’

During an appearance on the Today show, Redford talked about his working relationship with Fonda amid their various film roles. 

“It’s easy,” he said of working with the actress. “We’ve done many films over the years so it just worked out that way, that there was not a lot of discussion, we didn’t have to talk about a lot. Things just kind of fell into place between us, and there wasn’t much more to think about.”

September 27, 2017: Robert Redford calls Jane Fonda a ‘force’ 

During an appearance on NBC’s Megyn Kelly Today, Redford gushed about his Our Souls at Night costar, calling Fonda a “force.” 

“One of the things I really like about Jane that’s manifested in this film is that she really is a force,” the actor said. “As long as I’ve known Jane she’s always moving forward, and doesn’t look back. And whatever pain, whatever problems she’s had in the past, remains in the past and she keeps moving forward. It’s an admirable quality and very few people have it like Jane does.”

September 27, 2017: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford attend Our Souls at Night premiere in New York 

The two kept the friendly PDA coming as they attended the New York premiere of Our Souls at Night, posing for a number of photos together on the red carpet. 

September 28, 2017: Jane Fonda says working with Robert Redford on Our Souls at Night was an immediate ‘yes’

While promoting their new film on the Today show, Fonda noted that she was initially excited about doing the project because it gave her the opportunity to reunite with Redford onscreen. “It just makes a lot of sense, the two of us together,” she said at the time. 

“There’s something about him, besides the gorgeousness,” she added of the actor. “He’s smart, he’s funny, we have a lot in common, we both like trees, and mountains and horses. The movie needed us to fell like hands going into comfortable gloves. It felt that way.”

September 29, 2017: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford costar in Our Souls at Night 

After its premiere at Venice Film Festival, Our Souls at Night was released on Netflix on September 29. The film, which marked their fourth collaboration together, starred Redford and Fonda as a widower and widow who lean on each other as they grapple with their grief.

May 2023: Jane Fonda says she was in love with Robert Redford

During an interview with Vulture, Fonda reflected on her roles with Redford, saying, “I was in love with him.”

“I made four films with him, and for three, I was in love with him. Which meant I had a really good time,” she added. However, she noted that the only problem was that “he did not like to kiss.”

“He was always in a bad mood, and I always thought it was my fault,” she said noting that her perception changed when they did Our Souls at Night.

“I knew I was finally grown up, because when he’d come on to the set three hours late in a bad mood, I knew it wasn’t my fault. We always had a good time. He’s a very good person.”