Hollywood has lost one of its most commanding and quietly powerful performers. Robert Duvall, the Academy Award–winning actor whose unforgettable roles in The Godfather and Tender Mercies helped define modern cinema, has died at the age of 95.
His wife, Luciana Pedraza, confirmed that the legendary actor passed away peacefully at home on February 15, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. In a heartfelt tribute, she described him as “my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time.”
Across a career that spanned more than seven decades, Duvall earned a reputation as an actor’s actor — a master of restraint whose performances carried a rare emotional truth. Whether portraying the cool-headed Tom Hagen in The Godfather Part II or the swaggering Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, he brought an authenticity that elevated every scene he entered.
Born Robert Selden Duvall on January 5, 1931, in San Diego, California, he grew up the son of a career Navy officer. After graduating from Principia College and serving two years in the U.S. Army, he moved to New York to study acting under Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse, where classmates included Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.
His film debut came in 1962 as Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, a brief but haunting performance that hinted at the greatness to come. That promise was fully realized in Tender Mercies, which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor for his deeply moving portrayal of country singer Mac Sledge.
Duvall also proved a formidable force behind the camera, writing, directing, and starring in The Apostle, a passion project that brought him another Oscar nomination. On television, he collected Emmy wins for Lonesome Dove and Broken Trail, further cementing his versatility.
Despite his towering achievements, Duvall remained famously private, preferring the craft of storytelling to the glare of celebrity. His legacy is one of discipline, authenticity, and quiet brilliance — a body of work that will endure long after the final curtain.
Hollywood dims with his passing, but Robert Duvall’s performances will continue to speak with undiminished power for generations to come.
