Robert Duvall died on February 15 at the age of 95 without having had biological children, despite the fact that on different occasions he stated that he tried to become a father.
Throughout his life he was married four times and publicly addressed the topic of fatherhood in interviews, where he explained that he was unable to fulfill that wish.
In an April 2007 interview with Details magazine, Duvall spoke candidly about the matter.“I guess I shoot blanks,” he declared.
In the same conversation he added: “(I have tried) with many different women, inside and outside of marriage. I thought about adoption, but (my wife and I) have not done it yet.”
A source cited by Daily Mail noted after his death that the artist “did not often talk about not having had children because he invested his time in his craft, in his marriages and simply in living life.”
Likewise, the informant assured that in the past he has said that it was not in the cards for him, but he never considered it a regret.However, he stated that this did cause tension in some of his marriages, but not having children was never a decisive point for him.
“He lived an incredible life. His 95 years were well spent. And it wasn’t for lack of trying either, because he was a very attractive man. Life simply had other plans,” said the informant.
Robert Duvall married Barbara Benjamin for the first time in 1964. The relationship lasted until 1975. During that period he lived with the two daughters she had from a previous relationship, which allowed him to experience family life, although he had no children of his own.
He was later married to Gail Youngs from 1982 to 1986, and to Sharon Brophy from 1991 to 1995. Neither of those marriages resulted in children.
In 1997 he met Luciana Pedraza in Argentina, who would become his fourth wife.In an interview given in 2010 to Esquire, the actor recalled the beginning of that relationship.
“I met my wife in Argentina. The flower shop was closed, so I went to the bakery. If the flower shop had been open, I would never have met her,” he said.The couple was in a relationship for more than two decades.
In the 2007 interview, the actor also alluded to the age difference with Pedraza.Referring to the moment he met her father, he commented: “When I met my wife’s father, I didn’t know whether to call him ‘father’ or ‘son.'”
Luciana Pedraza confirmed the death of the actor the Monday following his death through a message on Facebook, where she indicated that he died “peacefully in his home.”
“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything. His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, for great food, and for presiding over conversation,” he said.
And he added: “He leaves something lasting and unforgettable for all of us. Thank you for the years of support you gave Bob and for giving us this time and privacy to celebrate the memories he leaves behind.”
Beyond his personal life, Duvall developed a film career that spanned more than seven decades and participated in productions such as The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and Tender Mercies.
