White's longtime crush paid tribute to the legendary actress.
Betty White died at the age of 99 on Friday, New Year's Eve, just weeks before celebrating her 100th birthday on Jan. 17. Her former co-stars and Hollywood A-listers, including The Proposal's Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, Carol Burnett and Kathy Griffin, remembered the Emmy-winning star of The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show as someone who "defied expectation."
Robert Redford, whom White had publicly expressed having a longtime crush on over the years, issued a statement to ET paying tribute to the legendary actress.
“Betty lived life devoted to her craft and her love of animals. She made us all laugh, including me," Redford, 85, said. "I had a crush on her too!”
Only a few days ago, White spoke with ET ahead of her 100th birthday, which will be spotlighted in a movie event, Betty White: 100 Years Young -- A Birthday Celebration. (The movie event, producers tell ET, will continue on as planned.)
"[I'm] amazed," the actress said on Dec. 29 when asked about her milestone birthday. "No, seriously, I’m the luckiest broad on two feet to be as healthy as I am and to feel as good as I do!"
And White, of course, had only one big birthday wish: "Robert Redford," she cheekily told ET.
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