Academy Award Winning Actor Robert Duvall Dies At 95

Robert Duvall appeared in films such as 'Apocalypse Now', 'The Godfather', and 'Tender Mercies', for which he received the Oscar for Best Actor in 1984.

Robert Duvall arrives at 75th Academy Awards. Credit/Provider: AMPAS.

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Actor Robert Duvall passes away at 95
He was best known for starring in gritty roles such as ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘True Grit.’
Duvall’s career spanned over six decades, earning him seven Oscar nominations and one Oscar win

Robert Duvall, the seven-time nominated actor best known for his roles in ‘The Godfather,’ ‘Apocalypse Now,’ and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ has passed away at age 95. Duvall’s wife, Luciana Duvall, took to the late actor’s Facebook to post the official statement:

“Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort.”

The legendary actor passed away at his Virginia Ranch on Sunday, surrounded by family. His wife Luciana Duvall says, “To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything.”

Life and Career

Robert Duvall in 'The Godfather'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Robert Duvall was born in San Diego, California, on January 5, 1931. His father was an admiral in the US Navy. Duvall attended Principia College and served in the military before moving to New York, where he studied drama under renowned acting teacher Sanford Meisner. His classmates include actors Gene Hackman and James Caan.

Duvall’s first on-screen role was Boo Radley in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ in 1962. Later, the actor would go on to appear in films like ‘True Grit’ and ‘M*A*S*H'.

He will also be remembered for his role in ‘The Godfather’ and ‘The Godfather: Part II’ as the Corleone family’s lawyer and consigliere. This role earned Duvall his first Academy Award nomination in 1972. He later won the Oscar for his role in ‘Tender Mercies’, where he plays Mac Sledge, a country singer/songwriter who was battling alcohol addiction.

Known for playing “tough guy” roles, Duvall will always be famously remembered for his line in ‘Apocalypse Now’: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” which has become an iconic movie quote today.

Tributes Pours In For Robert Duvall

Robert Duvall in 'Apocalypse Now'. Photo: United Artists.

During his over six-decade-long career, Duvall worked with an extensive list of actors who took to social media to express their condolences:

Adam Sandler took to Twitter to send his condolences, calling the actor “Funny as hell. Strong as hell. One of the greatest actors we ever had.”

"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."

‘Halloween’ star Jamie Lee Curtis took to Threads to give her tribute:

“The greatest consigliere the screen has ever seen. Bravo, Robert Duvall.”

Author Stephen King tweets:

“ ‘I love the smell of napalm in the morning!’ RIP Robert Duvall”

‘Star Wars’ voice actor Stephen Stanton tweets about Duvall’s role in George Lucas’ 'THX 1138.'

“Legendary actor Robert Duvall has sadly passed away at 95.? In 1971, he appeared as the lead in the cult classic 'THX 1138', the first feature film directed by 'Star Wars' creator George Lucas.”

Actor Jane Seymour posts a photo on Instagram of her and Duvall, saying, “His presence on screen carried honesty, weight, and grace.”

“There are actors who perform, and there are actors who inhabit a role completely. Robert Duvall did the latter. His presence on screen carried honesty, weight, and grace. I’m thankful for the moments shared and for the artistry he gave the world. He will be greatly missed. Sending my deepest condolences to his family.”

Robert Duvall is survived by his wife Luciana Duvall. The two did not have children.