Robert Duvall: Hollywood mourns 'one of the greatest actors we ever had'
Robert Duvall, the veteran actor whose work included defining turns in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has died at the age of 95. Tributes poured in from across the film community, with colleagues and friends recalling a performer whose economy, presence and devotion to craft made him one of the most respected actors of his generation.
A towering career across seven decades
Duvall’s career ran from stage beginnings to a screen legacy that included seven Academy Award nominations and a Best Actor win for Tender Mercies in 1984. He earned global recognition as Tom Hagen, the calm and steadied consigliere in The Godfather and its sequel, and as Lieutenant Colonel William Kilgore in Apocalypse Now — a role that produced one of cinema’s indelible lines: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning. " That Kilgore was pared back from a more bombastic conception; Duvall chose control and specificity, reshaping the part into something quietly memorable.
He wrote, directed and starred in The Apostle, a personal project that confirmed his skills beyond acting, and he remained a fixture of serious American film-making into his later years. Raised in Annapolis as the son of a Navy admiral, he served in the US Army, studied at Principia College and later found a foothold in New York alongside other future screen luminaries. His decades-long devotion to the work — summed up in his own line, "I did my homework" — was evident in the variety and depth of the characters he played.
Hollywood pays tribute
Fellow actors and collaborators recalled Duvall as a guiding presence, generous with time and mentorship. One frequent co-star reflected on Duvall’s inborn connection to the craft, saying, "He was a born actor... his connection with it, his understanding and his phenomenal gift will always be remembered. I will miss him. " Others highlighted his warmth and off-screen humor: one colleague shared photographs from a recent shoot, calling him "Funny as hell. Strong as hell. One of the greatest actors we ever had. Such a great man to talk to and laugh with. "
Tributes also stressed the scale of his influence. A co-star who worked with Duvall on a later ensemble film said, "I was in awe. I've always been in awe of your towering portrayals of men who were both quiet and dominating in their humanness. You were a giant... an icon. " Another peer noted the personal loss in blunt terms: "The celestial light just lost its glow... Bobby Duvall, the greatest storyteller of all time just left us. He was my friend. My mentor. " A longtime colleague offered a simpler wish: "God bless Bobby. I hope I can live till I'm 95. May he rest in peace. "
Legacy: craft, economy and the art of understatement
Duvall’s legacy rests in a rare combination: the ability to inhabit an archetype and make it fully realized, and the discipline to trim any excess until a moment landed with maximum effect. That economy is why a few minutes of screen time in Apocalypse Now produced a line repeated for generations, and why a career that included leading roles, character turns and independent experiments like The Apostle remains a touchstone for actors and filmmakers.
Beyond awards and famous lines, many colleagues emphasize the quieter, human lessons Duvall offered: respect for preparation, generosity on set and an unwavering commitment to truth in performance. In tribute after tribute, the same refrain appears — that his work was not merely excellent but essential, that his name and his performances will continue to be spoken and studied by those who love cinema.
He leaves behind a body of work that will continue to be revisited, taught and admired — the measure of an artist who shaped the language of film acting for generations.
