Robert Duvall shared a touching message with fans just months before his passing at 95.
In a Facebook clip from November, the Godfather star said, “To all my fans, have a happy, happy Thanksgiving and a great year coming up. God bless.”
His wife of more than 20 years, Luciana Duvall, confirmed that the Hollywood icon, also known for Apocalypse Now, passed away on Sunday.
Robert Duvall was seen filming scenes for Netflix’s Hustle in Philadelphia on September 29, 2021.
“Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time,” Luciana Duvall wrote on Facebook Monday, revealing that the Judge star “passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort.”
“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, director, and master storyteller,” she continued. “To me, he was simply everything. His passion for his craft was matched only by his love for his characters, a good meal, and holding court.”
Luciana added that the beloved Hollywood icon “gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented” throughout his remarkable career.
Robert Duvall with Marlon Brando in The Godfather.
“In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable for us all,” Luciana Duvall said. “Thank you for the years of support you showed Bob and for giving us this time and privacy to celebrate the memories he leaves behind.”
Her tribute also included a heartwarming photo of the couple on their Virginia ranch with their horse and two dogs.
Duvall’s final social media post came on Facebook on February 3, highlighting his 2003 film Secondhand Lions with Haley Joel Osment and Michael Caine.
“One day while filming Secondhand Lions, the lion got out,” he joked just days before his passing. “Had he turned in my direction, I wouldn’t be here today!”
Robert Duvall on the set of the 2004 documentary The Portrait of Billy Joe.
The Oscar-winning actor also praised his co-stars and the comedy-drama’s director, Tim McCanlies.
“I absolutely enjoyed working on this film with director Tim McCanlies and actors Haley Joel Osment and Michael Caine,” Duvall wrote, sharing a clip from Secondhand Lions.
A month earlier, just a day before his milestone 95th birthday, he shared another heartfelt video featuring childhood photos and more recent moments.
The touching clip, put together by his wife Luciana, included the captions: “95” and “A Mighty Ride.”
Robert Duvall with Marlon Brando in The Godfather.
“Luciana surprised me with this wonderful birthday video in preparation for tomorrow’s big 95!” Duvall captioned the heartfelt clip. “Thank you all for the support all of these years.”
Born on January 5, 1931, in San Diego, California, Duvall’s first major film role was as Boo Radley in the 1962 adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird.
He earned his first Oscar nomination playing Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972) and later reunited with director Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather Part II (1974) and Apocalypse Now (1979).
Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now.
It wasn’t until Tender Mercies (1983), in which Duvall starred alongside Tess Harper, Betty Buckley, and Ellen Barkin, that the legendary actor earned his first and only Academy Award for Best Actor.
“In keeping with Duvall’s wishes, no formal service will be held,” his family shared in his obituary.
“Instead, the family encourages those who wish to honor his memory to do so in a way that reflects the life he lived—by watching a great film, sharing a story around a table with friends, or taking a drive through the countryside to appreciate the world’s beauty,” they added.
