Robert Redford was the subject of a 'sick' hoax on New Year’s
Eve. News spread quickly over Twitter on Thursday that the 79-year-old screen
legend had died in a tragic golfing accident in Santa Monica, California. But a
rep for Redford confirmed later that same day that the actor and director is
still very much alive and was the victim of an internet hoax.
Various Twitter feeds announced on Thursday that the
Sundance Kid had fallen from his golf buggy during an early morning golf session
in Southern California. But soon after the fake news broke a rep for Redford
confirmed she had spoken to the actor that very same day.
'This is a sick hoax. I just spoke to him and there is no
truth to this whatsoever,' Redford's publicist, Cindi Berger, said. She said
the actor was at home and fine.
In the roughly 15 minutes in which the hoax report spread
like wildfire on Twitter, posters tweeted their sadness, calling Redford an
icon, a 'looker in his day' and a 'proper star.'
There was no comment from Redford himself, who is not on
Twitter or Instagram.
The hoax originated with a fake Sky Breaking News Twitter
account, which has only 170 followers, and a total of nine tweets. The same
feed previously perpetuated other death hoaxes including, John Travolta's
demise.
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