Robert Duvall (Robert Selden Duvall), 5 January 1931, was born in San Diego, California, United States of America. He is an American actor, director and producer. Over a six-decade career, he has worked in cinema, television and theatre. He has been nominated for the Academy Award seven times and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the 1983 film Tender Mercies.
The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, he portrayed the character Tom Hagen and played Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now. In 2005, he was honored with the National Medal of Arts by United States President George W. Bush. He died at his home in Virginia on 15 February 2026.
Robert Selden Duvall was born on 5 January 1931 in San Diego, California. His father, William Howard Duvall, was a career officer in the United States Navy who later attained the rank of admiral. His mother, Mildred Virginia Duvall (Hart), was an amateur actress. His father served in the Navy throughout his life, and Duvall has described himself as a “navy brat.” He has two brothers, William Duvall and John Duvall. He spent much of his childhood in Annapolis, Maryland.
Robert Duvall studied at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in drama. He graduated in 1953.
After graduating in 1953, he served in the United States Army. In 1955, he moved to New York and enrolled at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, using educational benefits under the G.I. Bill. There he became a student of Sanford Meisner. During this period, he trained alongside Dustin Hoffman and shared an apartment with him for a time.
He was cast by Sanford Meisner in Tennessee Williams’ play Camino Real and Horton Foote’s play The Midnight Caller. To support himself during his youth, he held various jobs, including working at a post office and serving as a night guard at American University.
While continuing his training in New York, Robert Duvall turned to stage acting. He began his professional theatre work at the Gateway Playhouse, a summer theatre, where he performed in plays by Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams.
Following his performance in Horton Foote’s one-act play The Midnight Caller, Foote recommended Duvall for the role of Boo Radley in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird. This recommendation is regarded as the beginning of his film career.
In 1965, he portrayed the character Eddie Carbone in the revival of Arthur Miller’s play A View from the Bridge. He won the Obie Award for this performance. His former roommate Dustin Hoffman served as assistant director in this production.
Robert Duvall made his television debut in 1959 in the anthology series Armstrong Circle Theater. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he appeared as a guest actor in various single-episode productions, including The Twilight Zone, Naked City and The Fugitive.
His first film role was in the 1956 film Somebody Up There Likes Me, where he played a military policeman. In the 1960s, he appeared in films such as The Chase, Bullitt, The Rain People and True Grit. The Rain People (1969) marked his first collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola. In True Grit, he appeared alongside John Wayne and portrayed a villainous character.
In 1970, Robert Duvall portrayed Major Frank Burns in Robert Altman’s Korean War comedy MAS*H. In 1971, he took the lead role in George Lucas’s directorial debut THX 1138.
In the 1972 film The Godfather, he portrayed the mafia lawyer Tom Hagen, earning his first Academy Award nomination. He reprised the role in the 1974 sequel The Godfather Part II.
In 1972, he starred in the William Faulkner adaptation Tomorrow. In the 1976 film Network, he portrayed Frank Hackett. During this period, he also appeared in The Eagle Has Landed, The Betsy and the Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest.
In the 1979 Francis Ford Coppola film Apocalypse Now, he played the character Lt. Col. William Kilgore. He also portrayed the character Bull Meechum in the 1979 film The Great Santini.
In the 1983 film Tender Mercies, he portrayed Mac Sledge, a former country music star. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for this role.
In 1974, he directed the documentary We’re Not the Jet Set. In 1983, he directed the film Angelo My Love. In the 1989 television miniseries Lonesome Dove, he portrayed Augustus McCrae, a retired Texas Ranger, earning an Emmy nomination. The miniseries was adapted from a novel by Larry McMurtry.
In 1992, he founded the production company Butchers Run Films, with the stated goal of playing a more active role in all stages of film development and production.
In the 1997 film The Apostle, he wrote, directed and starred as a evangelical preacher who starts a new life in Louisiana after committing a crime. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for this role. In the 1998 legal drama A Civil Action, he appeared in a supporting role, earning his sixth Academy Award nomination.
In the 1990s, he appeared in films such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Horton Foote’s adaptation Convicts and Wrestling Ernest Hemingway. In 1992, he portrayed Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in the film Stalin. In 1996, he portrayed Adolf Eichmann in the television film The Man Who Captured Eichmann, earning Emmy nominations for both performances.
In 2002, he wrote, directed and starred in the film Assassination Tango. According to the National Endowment for the Arts biography, he traveled to Argentina in early 2001 to direct, produce and star in the film.
He portrayed General Robert E. Lee in the film Gods and Generals. In 2003, he appeared alongside Michael Caine in the film Secondhand Lions.
In the 2012 film Jack Reacher, he appeared alongside Tom Cruise. He appeared in the 2013 film Jayne Mansfield’s Car. In the 2014 film The Judge, he portrayed Joseph Palmer, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He appeared in the 2018 film Widows.
In 2022, he appeared in the film Hustle and in The Pale Blue Eye. He also appeared in an episode of the series The Culture Mafia.
Robert Duvall received several Emmy nominations for his television work. He earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove. He received a second Emmy nomination for his performance in the 1992 film Stalin.
He received a third Emmy nomination for his role in the 1996 television film The Man Who Captured Eichmann. In 2007, he won his first Emmy Award for his performance in the series Broken Trail. He also served as executive producer on the project and won an award in the miniseries category.
Throughout his career, Robert Duvall has been nominated for the Academy Award seven times. He received his first Oscar nomination for his role as Tom Hagen in the 1972 film The Godfather. He received his second Oscar nomination for his performance in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now.
He was nominated for Best Actor for his role in the 1979 film The Great Santini. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Mac Sledge in the 1983 film Tender Mercies.
He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in the 1997 film The Apostle. He received an Oscar nomination for his role in the 1998 film A Civil Action. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 2014 film The Judge.
He won a BAFTA Award for his performance in Apocalypse Now. He has also won four Golden Globe Awards during his career.
Robert Duvall has been married four times. He married Barbara Benjamin on 31 December 1964; their marriage ended in divorce in 1975. He married Gail Youngs on 22 August 1982; their marriage ended in 1986.
He married Sharon Brophy on 1 May 1991; their marriage ended in divorce in 1996. He married Luciana Pedraza on 6 October 2004.
He met Luciana Pedraza in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1997. In 2001, they co-founded the The Robert Duvall Children’s Fund. The organization aims to assist impoverished children and families in northern Argentina and to support women in starting businesses.
In his later years, he lived on a ranch in Fauquier County, Virginia, with his wife Luciana Pedraza. He died at his home in Middleburg, Virginia, on 15 February 2026.
Early Life
Education
Theatre Career Beginnings
Television Work and Transition to Film
International Recognition and Academy Award Nominations (1970s)
Production, Direction and Screenwriting
Later Career
Television Awards and Emmy Nominations
Awards and Honors
Personal Life
Later Years and Death
