Jane Fonda honored her longtime friend and frequent co-star Robert Redford following the news that the legendary actor and director died Sept. 16 at age 89.

“It hit me hard this morning when I read that Bob was gone. I can’t stop crying,” Fonda, 87, said in a statement obtained by TODAY.com .

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“He meant a lot to me and was a beautiful person in every way. He stood for an America we have to keep fighting for," she added.

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Redford and Fonda appeared together in the 1966 drama “The Chase.” The following year, they made movie magic in the classic 1967 rom-com “Barefoot in the Park,” playing mismatched newlyweds Paul, a buttoned-up lawyer, and Corie, his fre

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