EXCLUSIVE: Inside Robert Duvall's Sad Last Days — Stroke Terror and How 'The Godfather' Legend's Body 'Just Gave Out' Before Death at Age 95
Robert Duvall had kept a low profile in recent years before his death at 95.
Feb. 17 2026, Published 6:20 p.m. ET
Pals feared Robert Duvall was at risk for a stroke due to his lifestyle in his final years, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Duvall died at the age of 95 on February 15, with his wife of 20 years, Luciana Pedraza, delivering the heartbreaking news to the legendary actor's fans.
'His Body Just Gave Out'
Duvall and his Argentinian wife were well known tango enthusiasts.
"Something is going on because, despite his age, Robert had been acting like someone HALF his age – until recently," an insider said about the Lonesome Dove star in the years before his passing.
"He's a tango enthusiast who loved to dance up a storm and travel extensively with his wife to do so," the source noted about the star and his native Argentine wife, who was 41 years his junior.
The insider added, "Considering his eating habits and previous smoking, he’s done pretty well. But now he’s suddenly gone off the scene. The general feeling is that his body just gave out."
At the time, Duvall was believed to have suffered a stroke, but his team would later deny the claim.
Robert Duvall 'Dropped Out of Sight'
Friends of Duvall were reportedly worried about his health.
The insider noted one of Duvall's favorite hobbies was riding his horse across his 360-acre Virginia farm.
"But, then, he suddenly dropped out of sight," claimed a second source. "Many of his friends are on pins and needles, concerned that it may be because he’s suffered a major problem."
The insider suggested Duvall may have wanted "to keep whatever’s going on super private," but hoped that his pal and The Judge co-star, , "could let him know just how beloved he is in Hollywood."
Robert Duvall's Last Film Role Was in 2022
Duvall won a Best Actor Oscar in 1984 for 'Tender Mercies.'
After reports surfaced about Duvall allegedly suffering a stroke, the Oscar winner cut back on his acting roles. He appeared on-screen again in 2018's Widows, taking three more years off before 2021's 12 Mighty Orphans.
Duvall's last two acting roles were in the 2022 films Hustle and The Pale Blue Eye.
The Hollywood icon noted in 2021 that he wasn't thrilled with the aging process, but was happy to have Pedraza by his side.
When asked what he "loved the most" about being 90 years old, Duvall replied, "I don't know if I love any of it, but day to day with my wonderful wife."
He added, "She takes care of me, and I have good friends, and try to work out and keep in some kind of shape."
'He Was Simply Everything'
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Duvall's wife, Luciana Pedraza, broke the news of his 'peaceful' death at home.
Pedraza didn't indicate a cause of death when revealing her husband's passing in a Facebook post. But she made sure to show off how much he loved their Virginia farm, including a photo of the couple posing with their favorite horse, with the rolling countryside behind him, to announce the Tinseltown icon was no longer with us.
"Yesterday, we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort," she shared.
"To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything."
The couple met in 1996 when the actor was visiting Buenos Aires. Pedraza invited him to join her at a friend's party, and he accepted. The duo married in 2005.
