Robert Duvall, one of the greatest actors of American cinema, has died at the age of 95.
The news was announced by his wife, Luciana, who wrote that he passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and family.
"To the world he was an Oscar-winning actor, director and storyteller. To me, he was everything," she said.
Duvall's career spanned more than seven decades. He won an Oscar for his leading role in "Tender Mercies" (1983), and became immortalized with performances in classics such as "The Godfather," "Apocalypse Now" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."
Born in 1931 in San Diego, he served in the Army before turning to acting. He studied in New York under Sanford Meisner and became part of a generation of actors who would later dominate Hollywood. His film debut came in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and he received his first Oscar nomination for his role as Tom Hagen in “The Godfather,” a role he reprised in the sequel.
In “Apocalypse Now,” directed by Francis Ford Coppola, he played Colonel Kilgore and delivered one of the most iconic lines in film history: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
During his career, Duvall received seven Oscar nominations and also won Emmy Awards for his work on television. He never officially retired and continued acting until the last years of his life.
Robert Duvall is survived by his wife, Luciana Pedraza. His cinematic legacy is considered one of the most important in the history of American film.
