Amy Redford, the 55-year-old daughter of Hollywood legend Robert Redford, has publicly condemned a series of fabricated AI-generated posts that falsely claimed her family had already held a public funeral for the actor.
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Amy set the record straight, revealing that the family is still grieving together and has not yet organised a public service for the Oscar-winner, who died peacefully in his sleep at his Utah home in September at the age of 89.
Confronting Digital Fabrication
In a heartfelt and lengthy post, Amy expressed her gratitude for the global outpouring of support following her father's passing. However, she swiftly addressed the distressing AI content that has been circulating online.
'There have been multiple AI versions of funerals, tributes, and quotes from members of my family that are fabrications,' she wrote. She described the digitally created renderings of her father and inaccurate depictions of her family as 'extra challenging during a difficult time.'
While acknowledging that some creations may have been made with good intentions, she posed a poignant question to the public: 'I simply ask, what if this was you? Let that be your guidepost.'
The Family's True Memorial Plans
Amy Redford provided a crucial clarification amidst the digital noise, stating that the family have not held a 'public funeral' at this time. Instead, they are privately mourning and 'are working out plans for a memorial in the future.'
She emphasised the importance of a family's right to grieve on their own terms, stating, 'Every family should have the ability to mourn, represent the person they lost and pay homage in the way that fits their values and family culture best.'
Looking forward, Amy shared her hope for the responsible use of technology, adding, 'AI isn't going anywhere. My hope is to keep AI in the land of transparent usage where it belongs. Let human authenticity live, inspire and be the connective tissue we all crave.'
Remembering a Hollywood Icon
The announcement of Robert Redford's death was made by Cindi Berger, the chief executive of the publicity firm Rogers & Cowan PMK. Redford, one of Hollywood's most revered leading men, starred in classics such as 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' and 'All the President’s Men.'
His career was decorated with numerous accolades, including an Oscar for Best Director for 'Ordinary People' in 1981. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour.
Redford was married to historian Lola Van Wagenen from 1958 to 1985, with whom he had four children: sons James and Scott, and daughters Amy and Shauna. The family endured the tragic loss of his son James in 2020 from bile duct cancer, and his son Scott, who died from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) at just ten weeks old. He later married German artist Sibylle Szaggars in 2009.
