Dissecting the real friendship of Robert Redford and paul Newman
It’s hard to establish a connection in Hollywood that lasts for decades, especially when the two stars
in question share the same environment. When Robert Redford and Paul Newman first started
working together, they were almost strangers, but they soon became close and their friendship lasted
for decades.
Since Redford and Newman are two of the most attractive, endearing, and well-liked actors in the
business, they are often included in the same discussions when studio executives are deliberating
over their dream casting candidates behind closed doors. Any aspirant actor needs a competitive
streak that must occasionally stray into brutal territory.
Finding one half of the primary duo wasn’t simple, but the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid ended up winning four Academy Awards and making history at the Baftas with a
record-setting haul. Early on, Newman was committed to the role of Butch, but getting his on-screen
companion to sign was significantly more difficult.
Warren Beatty rejected it because he thought it was too much like Bonnie and Clyde, Steve McQueen couldn’t put his rivalry with Newman on hold long enough for them to work on a movie together, and Jack Lemmon rejected it because he didn’t want to spend so much time riding a horse.
According to Redford’s description to ABC, Newman had a crucial role in his hiring because he need a deserving rival who could perform on par with him—not necessarily a well-known celebrity. “I want to work with an actor,” he stated, Redford thought back. And it was really flattering to me because, I believe, that was how we both saw our line of work—that acting was a serious trade.
In addition to becoming a huge hit that enhanced Redford’s career and validated Newman’s A-list status, the real-life Butch and Sundance became inseparable from the characters that first brought them together, and they soon became close as thieves off-screen as well.
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