Did You Know Robert Duvall Took a Stand Against Steven Spielberg Visiting with Castro?
Robert Duvall, renowned for his tough-guy portrayals in films such as The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, is remembered in connection with a 2004 CBS interview in which he quipped about Steven Spielberg’s 2002 trip to Cuba with Fidel Castro. Duvall reportedly said, “The best seven hours I ever spent was actually with Fidel Castro,” a claim he attributed to Spielberg; Spielberg’s representative later called the remark false. The article notes that Spielberg’s Cuba visit was framed as cultural rather than political, including screenings of his films, visits to the Jewish community and the Havana Holocaust memorial, and meetings with U.S. diplomats, according to CBS and BBC reports. It also mentions that Duvall suggested, in jest, building a Holocaust memorial annex to honor dead Cubans, a line disputed by Spielberg’s camp. The piece closes by noting Duvall’s death at 95 and his long career across film and television.
Actor Robert Duvall was not only a tough guy in the many roles that made him a Hollywood hero.
Back in 2004, he was willing to take on Steven Spielberg for meeting with Fidel Castro in Cuba in 2002.
Duvall died Feb. 15 at the age of 95 after an acting career that included movies such as “Apocalypse Now” and “The Godfather” and TV productions such as “Lonesome Dove.”
In January 2004, as part of a CBS interview, Duvall threw zingers at Spielberg over a visit Spielberg made to Cuba in 2002.
“Spielberg went down there recently and said, ‘The best seven hours I ever spent was actually with Fidel Castro,’” Duvall said in the interview, according to the New York Post.
“Now, what I want to ask him — and I know he’s going to get p****ed off — “Would you consider building a little annex on the Holocaust museum, or at least across the street, to honor the dead Cubans that Castro killed?’” Duvall said, according to CBS News.
“That’s very presumptuous of him to go there … I’ll tell him that,” the actor said.
“I’ll never work at Dreamworks again, but I don’t care about working there anyway,” he said.
A representative of Spielberg said the U.S. government supported the trip.
“His trip to Cuba in 2002 was cultural, not political. It was an opportunity to his films and his values with the Cuban people,” the representative said.
“In addition to screening eight of his films for hundreds of thousands of Cubans, he visited with the Jewish community, paid his respects at the Holocaust memorial in Havana, and met with U.S. diplomats stationed there,” he said.
CBS noted that Spielberg spent about eight hours with Fidel Castro, including having dinner with the Cuban leader, who took power in 1959 and ruled as a dictator until his death in 2016.
And was close and trusted friend to Andy Garcia, who’s family had to escape from Cuba. https://t.co/yeHeFdNFXQ
— Irena Szafrańska (@ISzafranska) February 17, 2026
Marvin Levy, a representative of Spielberg, said the comment Duvall attributed to Spielberg was “totally false,” according to CNN.
“He never said it, or anything like it,” Levy said.
During his 2002 trip, Spielberg said the United States should open up trade with Cuba.
He said that it was time to “wipe the slate clean,” according to the BBC.
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