Robert Duvall is a national treasure of Hollywood, having built a hugely successful career appearing in cult classics like The Godfather and MAS*H. At the tender age of 91, it was no surprise that a flock of fans were seen panicking about the star’s health, after the actor’s name was trending on social media.

With the recent loss of Golden Girls legend Betty White aged 99, immediate concern for Duvall, who began his acting career more than seven decades ago, sparked after beady-eyed Twitter users saw that his name was trending.

Some had even jumped to the conclusion that the To Kill A Mockingbird star had passed away, but were beyond relieved to find out it was just users flocking to the social media site to wish the actor instead a happy 91st birthday.

Users held their breath as the Academy Award winning actor appeared in their search feeds. One individual wrote: “Robert Duvall is trending, and everyone got the ‘Betty Whites’, which is the panic people get on Twitter when a beloved person trends for no apparent reason and everyone is afraid that they’re dead (until they actually die, and then it’s just grief).”

Whilst another added: “Twitter, don’t scare me with trends anymore. When I saw Robert Duvall, I got worried for a minute.”

The immediate concern for the actor was remarkable, with tonnes of fans expressing their love of the acting legend.

A third user said: “Saw Robert Duvall was trending. I thought he died. Turns out it’s just his birthday. Don’t scare me like that. That man is a legend.”

Whilst a fourth added: “I wish Twitter would give some context to the trending list, especially when it comes to very old, very good actors like Robert Duvall. Turns out, he did not pull a Betty White, he’s just trending because he’s old and awesome.”

Concern for the star’s health is nothing new, as back in 2016 rumours started to speculate that the star may have suffered a stroke, after a prolonged absence from the public eye.

RadarOnline reported that an insider had said: “Bobby hasn’t been seen in quite some time now, and the fear is that he may have had a stroke.

“Despite his age, he’d been going great guns in his career up until recently.

“Friends kept telling him to slow down and take it easy. The feeling is that his body just gave out.”

Allegedly, friends of the star pointed out that his lavish lifestyle made him a “prime candidate” for suffering a stroke as he loved eating red meat.

Yet rumours that the star had suffered from the potentially fatal condition were quickly denied by Duvall’s representatives, with no actual evidence that the star has recently been in any ill health.

In a 2021 interview the star appeared in good spirits as he talked with American chat show host Stephen Colbert on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he discussed his lengthy film career and living with Dustin Hoffman.

Twitter, don't scare me with trends anymore. When I saw Robert Duvall, I got worried for a minute.

— AJ Powers (@aj_powers) January 5, 2022

In another rare update about the star’s health, in an interview with People, in July last year, the actor discussed what life is like after more than 70 years acting in front of the camera.

Confessing that he doesn’t “love” any part of being in his 90s, he did admit that his health is still a top priority for both him and his “wonderful wife” Luciana Pedraza.

“She takes care of me, he said. “And I have good friends, and I try to work out and keep in some kind of shape.”

Keeping in good shape is working wonders for the star, who shows no signs of slowing down or taking a step back from acting. In the same interview the star spoke about multiple upcoming projects opposite popular actors such as Martin Sheen and Adam Sandler.

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