The two most boring actors of the 1970s, according to Robert Duvall: “They do the same thing all the time”
Robert Duvall identified Steve McQueen and Robert Redford as the two most boring actors of the 1970s, arguing that they repeatedly played versions of themselves rather than embracing varied roles. His criticism reflected his preference for character acting, strong writing and transformation over maintaining a familiar screen persona.
Duvall’s own 1970s work included M*A*S*H, THX 1138, The Godfather films, Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, Network and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, with notably diverse performances. The article adds that McQueen cultivated his “King of Cool” image, while Redford accepted stardom but pursued more varied projects; despite Duvall’s view, both remained highly successful with audiences and at the box office.
- Duvall criticised McQueen and Redford for repeatedly playing themselves.
- He valued range and character work over established star personas.
- Both actors remained commercially successful during the 1970s.