Robert Duvall: From ‘The Godfather’ to ‘The Judge’, a six-decade Hollywood force dies at 95

Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall, whose career stretched from The Godfather in the 1970s to The Judge more than four decades later, has died at the age of 95.

Duvall died “peacefully” at his home in Middleburg, Virginia, on Sunday, according to a statement issued by his public relations agency on behalf of his wife, Luciana Pedraza.

Across more than six decades on screen, Duvall became one of Hollywood’s most enduring and respected performers, earning seven Academy Award nominations and winning best actor for his role in Tender Mercies in 1983.

He is widely remembered for portraying Tom Hagen, the composed and calculating consigliere to the Corleone family, in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. The 1972 film brought him his first Oscar nomination. He reprised the role in The Godfather Part II in 1974, further cementing his place in cinema history.

Born in San Diego, California, to a career naval officer, Duvall attended Principia College in Illinois and later served in the US Army during the Korean War. After his military service, he moved to New York to study acting under Sanford Meisner. During that period, he shared an apartment with Dustin Hoffman and spent time alongside fellow aspiring actor Gene Hackman.

His early breakthrough came in 1962 when he played the reclusive Arthur “Boo” Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird. Though a small role, it proved pivotal in launching his film career.

A succession of major parts followed. He appeared opposite John Wayne in True Grit, played Major Frank Burns in Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H, and starred in George Lucas’ dystopian debut THX 1138 in 1971.

Following the success of The Godfather, Duvall worked steadily across film and television. He portrayed a ruthless television executive in Network and later headlined the acclaimed miniseries Lonesome Dove.

In Tender Mercies, he played a troubled country singer seeking redemption and performed his own vocals, earning the Academy Award for best actor. He received additional Oscar nominations for The Great Santini and for his performance as Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, delivering the frequently quoted line: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”

Duvall did not appear in The Godfather Part III in 1990, citing a pay dispute. In later interviews, he described the decision as a matter of principle.

Westerns remained a recurring theme in his work, including Open Range opposite Kevin Costner and the miniseries Broken Trail, for which he won an Emmy Award.

Beyond acting, Duvall also worked behind the camera. He wrote, directed and starred in The Apostle in 1997, earning another Oscar nomination. He later directed Assassination Tango and Wild Horses.

He continued acting into his eighties and received his final Academy Award nomination at age 84 for his supporting role in The Judge in 2014. Later film credits included Jack Reacher and Widows.

Throughout his career, Duvall portrayed several historical figures, including Robert E. Lee in Gods and Generals, Joseph Stalin in the HBO film Stalin, and Adolf Eichmann in The Man Who Captured Eichmann.

Married four times, his final marriage was to Argentinian actress and director Luciana Pedraza.

Duvall was also known for supporting Republican political candidates. He attended George W. Bush’s inauguration, raised funds for Mitt Romney and narrated a video at the 2008 Republican National Convention. He received the National Medal of Arts in 2004 during the Bush administration.

According to his representative, no formal service will be held. Instead, his family encouraged those wishing to honour his memory to do so by watching a great film, sharing a story around a table with friends, or taking a drive in the countryside.