Robert Duvall, legendary ‘Godfather’ actor, has died
Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall portrayed unforgettable characters during his seven-decade Hollywood career.
For Viola Davis, Robert Duvall was a leading man in every sense of the word.
Davis, who worked with the Oscar-winning actor on 2018’s “Widows,” paid tribute to Duvall on social media following the actor’s death on Sunday, Feb. 15. Duvall, who was 95, died “peacefully” at home in Middleburg, Virginia, a representative for the actor confirmed to USA TODAY on Monday.
“I had the honor of working alongside you in ‘Widows.’ I was in awe,” Davis wrote on Threads.
During a seven-decade stage, TV and screen acting career, Duvall played a wide array of unforgettable men, from Mafia lawyer Tom Hagen in Francis Ford Coppola‘s 1972 “The Godfather” to the surf and napalm-loving Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore in Coppola’s 1979 Vietnam War saga “Apocalypse Now.”
“I’ve always been in awe of your towering portrayals of men who were both quiet and dominating in their humanness,” Davis continued. “You were a giant… an icon. … Greatness never dies. It stays… as a gift. Rest well, sir. Your name will be spoken… May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest ❤️❤️❤️”
Here’s what other stars are saying about Duvall’s life and legacy.
Adam Sandler
In an Instagram post, actor and comedian Adam Sandler called Duvall “one of the greatest actors we ever had.”
“Funny as hell. Strong as hell. … Such a great man to talk to and laugh with,” Sandler wrote. “Loved him so much. We all did. So many movies to choose from that were legendary. Watch them when you can. Sending his wife Luciana and all his family and friends our condolences.”
Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton, whose other costar and longtime friend Catherine O’Hara died in January, said “another friend goes down” in an emotional Instagram post.
“[I] acted with [Robert], and [we] became friends,” Keaton, who costarred with Duvall in 1994’s “The Paper,” wrote. “[We] shared a great afternoon on my front porch talking about horses. He was greatness personified as an actor. RIP RD.”
Walton Goggins
Walton Goggins, who appeared in Duvall’s 1997 directorial effort “The Apostle,” paid tribute to the actor’s mentorship in a lengthy Instagram post.
“The celestial light just lost its glow.. It certainly did for me,” Goggins wrote alongside a throwback photo from production on “The Apostle. “Bobby Duvall, the greatest storyteller of all time just left us. He was my friend. My mentor.”
“The privilege of getting to work with this man, to know this man is still the most important experience of my life,” Goggins, who was 24 at the time, continued. “He was my North Star, my hero. He knew it. He gave me permission, afforded me the privilege of never having to leave his side while we were working…”
Goggins added that he and Duvall “maintained a deep friendship for years after,” even though “he didn’t have to do that.”
“He had that effect on a lot of people… but this was my story,” Goggins concluded. “I love you, Bobby. Thank you for changing my life.”
Stephen King, Mario Lopez, more pay tribute to Robert Duvall
“‘I love the smell of napalm in the morning!'” author Stephen King wrote on X, referencing Duvall’s iconic line in “Apocalypse Now.” “RIP Robert Duvall.”
“Another day. Another iconic and irreplaceable loss,” Josh Gad wrote on Threads. “Duvall was simply one of the greatest to ever do it. From the ‘Godfather’ films to ‘Apocalypse Now,’ from ‘The Apostle’ to ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ he wasn’t just in film, he defines it through the ages. RIP.”
“RIP to the great Robert Duvall,” Mario Lopez wrote on X alongside a photo of the pair. “Had the honor of working with him back in the day on the movie ‘Colors…'”
“To be a character actor who can steal every scene in some of the best movies ever made and still be a leading man who can carry films big and small is no small feat in Hollywood,” Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos wrote on Instagram. “Robert Duvall was that kind of an actor and that kind of a star.”
“Today we lost one of the greats,” Sarandos concluded. “Thank goodness we will always have Tom Hagen, Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore, Bull Meechum, Mac Sledge and all of the great characters he immortalized for us.”
Contributing: Bryan Alexander and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
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