Robert Duvall, star of ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Apocalypse Now’, dies aged 95

Robert Duvall, the legendary Hollywood actor known for his roles in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has died at the age of 95.

The news was confirmed by his wife Luciana Pedraza on social media earlier today, who said that the Oscar-winner passed away on Sunday (February 15) at his home in Virginia.

Pedraza said in a statement: “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 added.

Robert Duvall delivering one of the 1970s’ most iconic lines in Apocalypse Now.
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— cinesthetic. (@TheCinesthetic) August 16, 2025

One of the most respected American actors of his generation, Duvall was nominated for a total of seven Oscars across his seven-decade career, winning in 1983 for playing an alcoholic country singer in Tender Mercies, a film for which he composed and performed his own songs.

Among his other nominations was for his role as Tom Hagen, the consigliere to the Corleone family in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, a role he returned to in the acclaimed sequel.

He was born Robert Selden Duvall in San Diego, California on January 5, 1931 and he served for two years in the US Army in the 1950s, before joining the influential Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, where he became friends with Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.

His debut film role was as the shy and gentle Boo Radley in the 1962 classic To Kill A Mockingbird, and he went on to appear in titles such as Bullitt, True Grit, M*A*S*H, The Conversation, Network, The Great Santini, The Natural and Falling Down.

As well as his Oscar recognition, he also won a BAFTA for playing the villainous Lt. Col. Kilgore in Coppola’s Vietnam epic Apocalypse Now, a character that uttered the famous line, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning”.

He also won four Golden Globes and two Emmys, the latter for the Western miniseries Broken Trail. Among his final roles were the Adam Sandler sports drama Hustle and the gothic thriller The Pale Blue Eye, both released in 2022.

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