Los Angeles: Shelley Duvall, the iconic actress known for her roles in films like “The Shining,” “Annie Hall,” and “Nashville,” has passed away at the age of 75. Her partner, Dan Gilroy, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.
“My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley,” Gilroy said, revealing that Duvall died in her sleep at her home in Texas due to complications from diabetes.
Duvall’s illustrious career included a standout performance in Robert Altman’s 1977 drama “3 Women,” which earned her the Cannes Film Festival’s Best Actress award and a BAFTA nomination. She later starred as Olive Oyl opposite Robin Williams in Altman’s “Popeye.”
Despite her early success, Duvall stepped away from the limelight for two decades, making a comeback in 2023 with the film “The Forest Hills.” Known for her large brown eyes and unique charisma, Duvall’s presence was both distinctive and compelling.
She began her career with Altman’s 1970 dark comedy “Brewster McCloud” and continued to collaborate with him on several projects, including “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” and “Nashville.” Altman praised her versatility, once saying she “was able to swing all sides of the pendulum: charming, silly, sophisticated, pathetic, even beautiful.”
Duvall’s portrayal of Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror classic “The Shining” remains one of her most memorable roles. However, filming was grueling, with Duvall recalling, “I had to cry 12 hours a day, all day long, the last nine months straight, five or six days a week.”
In addition to her film work, Duvall created and hosted the beloved 1980s children’s TV show “Faerie Tale Theatre.” Her acting roles dwindled in the 1990s, and she stepped away from the industry in 2002.
The New York Times attributed her absence to the impact of a 1994 earthquake that damaged her Los Angeles home and the stress of her brother’s cancer diagnosis. Duvall described the film industry’s fickleness, saying, “I was a star. I had leading roles. People think it’s just ageing, but it’s not. It’s violence.”
Concerns about Duvall’s health surfaced after a 2016 appearance on “Dr. Phil,” where she discussed her mental health struggles. Gilroy later described this period as one where she had become “paranoid and just kind of delusional.”
Despite these challenges, Duvall returned to acting in “The Forest Hills.” Novelist Nicole Flattery, writing in the Financial Times in 2023, praised Duvall’s enduring talent, dubbing her the “ultimate film star” and highlighting her ability to portray complex emotions with depth and daffiness.
Shelley Duvall’s legacy as a distinctive and compelling actress will be remembered fondly by fans and peers alike.
