Robert Redford — the director, actor and founder of the Sundance Film Festival — announced Wednesday morning that he plans to vote for Joe Biden for president of the United States in the 2020 election.
“This November, unity and empathy are on the ballot. Experience and intelligence are on the ballot. Joe Biden is on the ballot, and I’m confident he will bring these qualities back to White House. I don’t make a practice of publicly announcing my vote. But this election year is different.”
Redford wrote for CNN that Biden “was made for this moment. Biden leads with his heart.”
He touted Biden’s compassion, which “fuels him, that drives him to fight against racial and economic injustice, that won’t let him rest while people are struggling.”
In his piece, Redford slammed President Donald Trump.
“When and how did the United States of America become the Divided States of America? Polarization, of course, has deep roots and many sources. President Donald Trump didn’t create all of our divisions as Americans. But he has found every fault line in America and wrenched them wide open.”
In 2015, Redford spoke with Larry King on Ora.tv about then-candidate Trump, praising the real estate mogul for his success.
Redford said, “I’m glad he’s in there because him being the way he is, and saying what he says the way he says it, I think shakes things up and I think that’s very needed. Because on the other side, it’s so bland.”
Trump thanked Redford at the time: “Wow! Such nice words from Robert Redford on my running for President. Thank you, Robert.”
However, Redford started the interview with King by saying Trump has “such a big foot in his mouth, I am not sure you can get it out.”
But Redford denied endorsing Trump for the 2016 election. His representatives told The Hollywood Reporter that Redford didn’t necessarily see Trump as a good president.
The rep said: “He enjoys him but not for president.”