Rober Duvall dies at 95: Legendary actor and filmmaker Robert Duvall passed away at the age of 95 on Sunday, February 15. His fourth wife, Luciana, confirmed the news in a statement seeking privacy for the family. Duvall, known for his iconic role in ‘The Godfather’, received heartfelt tributes from co-stars Robert de Niro and Al Pacino.
In a career spanning as long as 70 years, Duvall has several awards to his name. From an Academy Award for Best Actor, along with 6 other Oscar nods, Emmys, and the Golden Globes. Known for his ‘chameleon-like versatility’, several Hollywood stars mourned the loss of Duvall.
Robert Duvall dies, tributes pour in
Pacino revealed that ‘it was an honour to have worked’ with Duvall, while De Niro expressed, “I hope I can live till I’m 95.” Viola Davis, a legendary actor from the West and Duvall’s co-star on ‘Tender Mercies’ shared a heartfelt post on Instagram. She wrote, “I was in awe…you were a giant…greatness never dies, it stays.”
Other actors, such as Adam Sandler, who appeared in one of Duvall’s latest works, ‘Hustle’ (2022), wrote, “So many movies to choose from that were legendary. Watch them when you can.”
Robert Duvall Movies and TV Shows: Looking back at his iconic roles
The Godfather
In one of his most iconic works, Duvall starred as Tom Hagen, the lawyer and trusted advisor to Michael Corleone, the young heir of the crime family. Francis Ford Coppola’s cinematic masterpiece portrayed Duvall as the voice of reason, and the ‘eye of the hurricane’ amid the tumultuous family history. It earned Duvall his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1972. While he did appear in the first two instalments, he was not seen in The Godfather III, due to the famous salary dispute.
Apocalypse Now
Robert Duvall appeared as ‘Lt. Colonel Bill Kilgore in Apocalypse Now in 1979. Some of his finest works, Duval only appeared on screen for 11-15 minutes, but left a lasting impact. His surfing scene became one of the film’s most endearing moments as he said, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” an ode to the war film.
Duvall earned an Academy Award nomination, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Tender Mercies
Another career-defining moment for Duvall, Tender Mercies featured ‘Mac Sledge’, an unforgettable character which him the Oscar for Best Actor. A washed-up alcoholic and a country singer, Sledge is the central character of the film. Interestingly, Duvall did all of his on-screen singing on his own and even played the guitar.
Among his other roles, Duvall also won his first Emmy Award in 1989 for his cowboy epic ‘Lonesome Dove’ as he played Captain Augustus McCrae.