Veteran Hollywood actor Robert Duvall, best known for his role in ‘The Godfather,’ has died at the age of 95.

His wife, Luciana Duvall, announced his passing in a statement shared on Facebook on Monday, revealing that the Oscar-winning star died peacefully at home on Sunday.

“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 wrote.

Mrs Duvall described her late husband as more than the screen legend admired globally.

“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,” she said, adding that his passion for acting was matched by his love for food, conversation, and the people around him.

She added that her husband gave himself fully to every role he played, leaving behind “something lasting and unforgettable” through his portrayal of complex human characters. 

She also thanked fans for their support over the years and appealed for privacy as the family mourns.

With a career spanning more than six decades across film, television, and theatre, Mr Duvall was known as one of the greatest actors of his generation.

He rose to prominence in the 1970s with a number of famous roles, including his role as Tom Hagen in ‘The Godfather’ and the intense Lt. Col. Kilgore in ‘Apocalypse Now,’ a performance that produced the iconic line about “the smell of napalm in the morning.”

He won the Oscars for Best Actor for his portrayal of a washed-up country singer in ‘Tender Mercies.’

Over the course of his career, he earned multiple Oscar nominations and starred in notable films such as ‘The Great Santini,’ ‘Lonesome Dove,’ and ‘The Apostle,’ the latter of which he also wrote and directed.

He is survived by his wife, Luciana, and extended family members.