Robert Duvall, Oscar-Winning Titan of American Cinema, Dies at 95

Los Angeles, Monday, 16 February 2026.
Robert Duvall, the commanding actor whose seven-decade career defined the gritty realism of New Hollywood, passed away on February 15, 2026, at his Virginia estate. While globally recognized as the steely consigliere in The Godfather and the napalm-loving Colonel in Apocalypse Now, Duvall’s artistry lay in his chameleon-like ability to humanize complex characters, a talent that earned him the title of the “new Brando” from contemporary Dustin Hoffman. From his silent debut as Boo Radley to his Oscar-winning turn in Tender Mercies, Duvall treated acting not as performance but as a discipline of truth, leaving behind a filmography that serves as a masterclass in American storytelling.