While Paul Newman and Robert Redford became inseparable on screen as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Newman admitted he initially envied his co-star. Playing Butch, he confessed he wished he could have taken Redford’s role as the Sundance Kid. The 1969 Western captivated audiences worldwide, portraying the notorious outlaws with wit and charm.
The film went on to win four Oscars and cemented itself as one of the greatest Westerns of all time. Their partnership proved so magnetic that they reunited four years later in The Sting (1973), delivering another classic.
At the time, Newman was 44 and already an established star, while the 33-year-old Redford was quickly rising in Hollywood following Inside Daisy Clover (1965). Newman admired his younger co-star’s growing popularity.
Still, there were moments of tension. Newman once remarked in BBC Talking Pictures, “You can’t depend on Redford. You’re never sure he’s going to be there.” His daughter, Claire Newman Soderlund, later explained that her father was meticulous and punctual, while Redford leaned more free-spirited.