Robert Duvall, widely hailed as one of the greatest actors of his generation with acclaimed roles in “The Godfather,” “Apocalypse Now” and “Tender Mercies,” has died at age 95, his family announced Monday.
“Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort,” his wife Luciana Duvall posted on Facebook.
“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything. His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all. Thank you for the years of support you showed Bob and for giving us this time and privacy to celebrate the memories he leaves behind,” she continued.
Duvall died in Middleburg, Virginia, his publicist said.
Other actors were quick to express their admiration for Duvall after hearing of his death, including “Godfather” co-star Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, who starred in “The Godfather: Part II.”
“It was an honor to have worked with Robert Duvall. He was a born actor as they say, his connection with it, his understanding and his phenomenal gift will always be remembered. I will miss him,” Pacino, 85, said in a statement.
“God bless Bobby. I hope I can live till I’m 95. May he rest in peace,” the 82-year-old De Niro wrote.
“I had the honor of working alongside you in `Widows,” Viola Davis posted on Instagram. “I was in awe. I’ve always been in awe of your towering portrayals of men who were both quiet and dominating in their humanness. You were a giant — an icon. Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tender Mercies, The Apostle, Lonesome Dove, etc. Greatness never dies. It stays as a gift. Rest well, sir. Your name will be spoken. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
“White Lotus” star Walton Goggins, who appeared with Duvall in 1997’s “The Apostle,” also weighed in.
“Bobby Duvall, the greatest storyteller of all time just left us,” he said. “He was my friend. My mentor… The privilege of getting to work with this man, to know this man is still the most important experience of my life. He was my North Star, my hero.”
Adam Sandler, who acted with Duvall in 2022’s “Hustle,” posted the following message on Instagram: “Funny as hell. Strong as hell. One of the greatest actors we ever had. Such a great man to talk to and laugh with. Loved him so much. We all did. So many movies to choose from that were legendary. Watch them when you can. Sending his wife Luciana and all his family and friends our condolences.”
Writer Stephen King simply posted Duvall’s most famous movie line, from “Apocalypse Now.”
“`I love the smell of napalm in the morning!’ RIP Robert Duvall,” King wrote on X.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Duvall was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning best actor for his role as a washed-up country singer in the 1983 film “Tender Mercies.”
He received widespread acclaim for his performances in “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II” as well as in “Apocalypse Now,” “The Great Santini,” “The Apostle,” “A Civil Action” and the television miniseries “Lonesome Dove,” which earned him a Golden Globe.
In 2003, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing his lasting impact on the film industry. Two years later, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts for his contributions to American culture.
Duvall built a career defined by emotional honesty, quiet intensity and an uncanny ability to inhabit complex characters. His performances were marked by subtlety and authenticity, often bringing depth and humanity to his roles.
Even in his later years, Duvall remained committed to his craft, continuing to work in film and support projects that reflected his artistic values and love for character-driven storytelling.
He appeared in the 2022 sports drama “Hustle,” alongside Adam Sandler, and made a brief but memorable appearance in the 2022 mystery thriller “The Pale Blue Eye,” directed by Scott Cooper. Though his screen time became more limited in his final years, Duvall remained active in the industry well into his 90s.
Away from the spotlight, Duvall was known for his love of music, dancing and the American West. He was married four times, most recently to Luciana, an Argentine actress and director whom he wed in 2005.
In a 2022 interview with the pop culture website Decider, Duvall reflected on the roles that meant the most to him, saying, “I was in the two biggest film epics — `The Godfather I and II’ — and then `Lonesome Dove,’ the miniseries. I’m recognized more for that than anything I’ve done.”
Duvall was born Jan. 5, 1931, in San Diego, the son of U.S. Navy Rear Adm. William Howard Duvall and his wife, Mildred. He grew up in Annapolis, Maryland and attended Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, where he studied drama.
After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he moved to New York City in the mid-1950s and studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse under renowned teacher Sanford Meisner. He trained alongside future stars such as Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.
Before making his mark on the big screen, Duvall honed his craft on stage in New York, appearing in off-Broadway productions and regional theater throughout the late 1950s and early ’60s. He appeared in plays by Horton Foote, notably “The Midnight Caller” and performed in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Camino Real.”
He earned an Obie Award in 1965 for his role in Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge.”
Duvall made his film debut in 1962 as the reclusive Boo Radley in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” He went on to appear in films such as “Bullitt,” “True Grit” and “M*A*S*H,” steadily building a reputation as a reliable and quietly compelling character actor.
His breakthrough came with his portrayal of Tom Hagen, the soft-spoken consigliere to the Corleone family, in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 classic “The Godfather.” His performance was understated but deeply affecting, earning him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. The film marked a turning point in his career, elevating him to national prominence.
“From our point of view … (we) felt we were in something very special that was going to do well,” Duvall told Charlie Rose in 1996.
In a 2022 interview with the GATE, a Canadian entertainment website, Duvall spoke about how “The Godfather” changed the course of his career.
“Everybody began to work after that. I had a career before somewhat, but after that, a little bit later — I’m more of a late bloomer — so eight or ten years after `The Godfather,’ it was good for me to do my own projects, and good for my career,” Duvall said.
He reprised the role in the 1974 sequel “The Godfather Part II,” further cementing the character’s place in cinematic history.
In the years that followed, Duvall continued to build an impressive résumé with a string of acclaimed performances. He played a television executive in “Network” in 1976, a Marine drill instructor in “The Great Santini” in 1979, a performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor.
That same year, he portrayed Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore in Coppola’s Vietnam War epic “Apocalypse Now,” a role that brought him another Oscar nomination for best supporting actor and delivered one of cinema’s most iconic lines: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
At the start of the 1980s, Duvall stepped into a landmark phase of his career, effortlessly moving between big-budget studio productions and smaller, character-focused films that highlighted his versatility.
Duvall won his only Academy Award for best actor for his performance in 1983’s “Tender Mercies,” portraying a down-and-out country singer seeking redemption in small-town Texas.
He followed that with a turn as a sportswriter opposite Robert Redford in Barry Levinson’s 1984 baseball drama “The Natural.”
In 1989, Duvall starred as retired Texas Ranger Augustus “Gus” McCrae in the acclaimed miniseries “Lonesome Dove,” based on Larry McMurtry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The four-part Western became a cultural touchstone, and Duvall’s witty, soulful performance remains one of his most iconic. The role earned him a Golden Globe, and he was nominated for an Emmy.
“I would say `Lonesome Dove’ was like my `Hamlet’ or my `Henry V,’ so to speak. When it was over, I felt like I could retire; I felt I’d done something fully and completely,” Duvall told True West Magazine in 2016.
In 1997, Duvall wrote, directed and starred in “The Apostle,” an independent feature film about a troubled Southern preacher. The project earned him another Oscar nomination for best actor in a leading role and was widely praised for its raw authenticity and spiritual depth.
Following the success of “The Apostle,” Duvall remained a steady presence on screen. He appeared as a seasoned corporate attorney in the 1998 legal drama “A Civil Action” opposite John Travolta.
Duvall remained active through the 2000s and 2010s, continuing to take on roles that showcased his versatility. The year 2003 proved especially busy for Duvall, who took on three high-profile roles: Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the Civil War epic “Gods and Generals,” a reclusive uncle opposite Michael Caine in the coming-of-age film “Secondhand Lions” and a seasoned cattleman alongside Kevin Costner in the Western “Open Range.”
He won an Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or movie for his role as a rancher who rescues five Chinese girls from prostitution in the 2006 AMC Western “Broken Trail.”
Duvall appeared in a string of supporting roles in “We Own the Night” (2007), “Four Christmases” (2008) and “Crazy Heart” (2009).
He earned some of the best reviews of his later years for the 2010 drama “Get Low,” playing a reclusive Tennessee hermit planning his own funeral, an introspective performance that many critics viewed as a career bookend to his earliest roles.
In 2014’s “The Judge,” Duvall played a stubborn, aging judge accused of vehicular homicide. The performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor.
In 2021, he had a supporting role in the football drama “12 Mighty Orphans,” based on a true story from 1930s Texas.
Beyond his acting career, Duvall was involved in numerous philanthropic efforts, supporting causes related to the arts, education and veterans’ organizations. He was also known for mentoring younger actors, reflecting his belief in giving back to the creative community that shaped his life.
Duvall’s performances spanned generations and genres, leaving an indelible mark on American cinema.
He is survived by his wife.