Martha Plimpton Pays Tribute to Revenge of the Nerds Star and Uncle, Robert Carradine

Actress Martha Plimpton paid tribute to her uncle, actor Robert Carradine, following his death at age 71.

Plimpton, 55, shared a message on Instagram early Tuesday morning remembering Carradine, who was part of the well-known Carradine acting family, as reported by Page Six.

The Goonies star Martha Plimpton is paying a heartfelt tribute to her uncle, Robert Carradine. https://t.co/X37PeqLLFS

— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 24, 2026

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“My Uncle Bobby was the best one of all 8 brothers; blood, adopted, and step,” the “Goonies” star wrote alongside a photo of her uncle. “Out of all of them, he was the absolute best. He was the one who cuddled me when I came to visit my father in LA for the first time at 8 or 9 years old. He cuddled and kidded me for being the only Carradine from New York. ‘Come ova hee-ah! Maw-thuh! Get ova hee-uh!’ He did a terrible New York accent. I was an alien and Bobby joshed me about it, and I adored him for it.”

RIP Robert Carradine, 71, of Famous Acting Family: Niece Martha Plimpton Says “My Uncle Bobby was the best one of all 8 brothers” https://t.co/ahSiHQpeFC via @Showbiz411

— Showbiz 411 (@showbiz411) February 24, 2026

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Plimpton described Carradine as “the best actor of the bunch. BY A THOUSAND MILES” and encouraged viewers to watch his performances in “The Cowboys,” “The Big Red One” and “Coming Home.”

“He’s honestly, in fact, the best actor of all of them. And I think I know why. Because he was KIND. He had inherent KINDNESS in him. He was dear, and loving, and nonjudgmental. And he loved honestly. He made mistakes like anyone else, like any human. But he never lost his decency, or his heart.”

“I love you, Bobby. You made my world happier. I will miss you enormously,” she added.

The Carradine family announced late Monday night that the “Lizzie McGuire” star had died by suicide. In a statement to Deadline, the family addressed both his passing and his long struggle with bipolar disorder.

“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” the family said.

“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of light to everyone around him. We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”

Carradine’s brother, actor Keith Carradine, explained why the family chose to disclose the cause of death.

“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” Keith Carradine said. “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.”

In 2009, Robert Carradine publicly discussed his bipolar disorder diagnosis following the death of his brother David Carradine, who died by asphyxiation.

Robert Carradine’s eldest daughter, actress Ever Carradine of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” also shared a message on Instagram Tuesday.

“My dad died today. My sweet, funny dad, who’s only 20 years older than I am, who never missed an opportunity to drive me to the airport or tell me how much he loved my homemade salad dressing, is gone,” she wrote.

“My dad was a lover, not a fighter. He was all heart, and in a world so full of conflict and division, I think we can all take a page out of his book today, open our hearts and feel and share the love.”

In addition to Ever, whom he welcomed with Susan Snyder, Robert Carradine is survived by two other children, Marika and Ian, from his marriage to Edith Mani.

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