Academy Award-winning actor and Fauquier County resident Robert Duvall was honored this week with a Virginia General Assembly resolution commending him for his contributions to both the arts and conservation.
Duvall, 92, was awarded a framed copy of the resolution from local Del. Michael Webert, Virginia Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert and resolution patron, Del. Bill Wiley, at his farm in The Plains Monday.
“WHEREAS, Robert Selden Duvall, one of the greatest American actors of the past century and a longtime resident of the Commonwealth, has made a lasting impact on the art of filmmaking over a career spanning more than seven decades; and,” a segment of resolution reads, “ … Robert Duvall has advocated ardently in the past in support of protecting the Wilderness Battlefield, a unit of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Battlefield Park, helping to ensure that visitors may appreciate the historical significance and natural beauty of this area for generations to come …”
“I have always returned to Fauquier County, Virginia, for the sense of relief that comes from my appreciation for all that makes this place special,” the actor said at the meeting. “ … The remarkable outpouring of opposition to this indicates that the vast majority of town and county residents agree that this is a bad use of this site for the many reasons you are familiar with. Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warrenton and deny Amazon’s [special-use permit].”
Despite his plea, the Warrenton Town Council went on to approve Amazon's plans.
Still, Duvall is widely respected for his efforts and advocacy in protecting the commonwealth's bucolic countryside.
“Virginia is the last stop before heaven,” he said in 2018 during a Richmond visit to receive The Richmond Medal from Scenic Virginia and Thames Landscape Strategy, according to a news release from Webert's office.
The actor is best-known for his roles in “The Godfather,” “The Godfather Part II,” “Apocalypse Now,” “The Apostle” and “True Grit,” among many others. He received the National Medal of Arts in 2005.