Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star known for her wide-eyed, winsome presence in the films of Robert Altman and her memorable role in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” has died at 75. Duvall passed away in her sleep at home in Blanco, Texas, on Thursday, as announced by her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy. The cause was complications from diabetes, according to her friend, publicist Gary Springer.
“My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us last night,” Gilroy said in a statement. “Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”
Duvall’s acting career began unexpectedly while she was attending junior college in Texas. She was discovered by members of Altman’s crew at a Houston party in 1970. Impressed by her presence, Altman cast her in “Brewster McCloud” and subsequently made her his protégé. Duvall appeared in several of Altman’s films, including “Thieves Like Us,” “Nashville,” “Popeye,” “Three Women,” and “McCabe & Mrs. Miller.”
“He offers me damn good roles,” Duvall told The New York Times in 1977. “None of them have been alike. He has great confidence in me, and a trust and respect for me. He doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him. I remember the first advice he ever gave me: ‘Don’t take yourself seriously.’”
Duvall, known for her unconventional Hollywood looks and beguiling naturalism, was a prominent figure in some of the defining movies of the 1970s. Her portrayal of Wendy Torrance in “The Shining” (1980) opposite Jack Nicholson remains iconic. Kubrick, known for his perfectionism, pushed Duvall through countless takes, especially in anguishing scenes, resulting in a grueling 13-month shoot.
“I will never give that much again,” Duvall stated in a 1981 interview with People magazine. “If you want to get into pain and call it art, go ahead, but not with me.”
Duvall retreated from acting by the 1990s and largely withdrew from public life. “How would you feel if people were really nice, and then, suddenly, on a dime, they turn on you?” Duvall told the Times earlier this year. “You would never believe it unless it happens to you. That’s why you get hurt because you can’t really believe it’s true.”
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 7, 1949, Duvall was the oldest of four children. Her father, Robert, was a cattle auctioneer who later worked in law, and her mother, Bobbie, was a real estate agent. Duvall married artist Bernard Sampson in 1970, but they divorced four years later. She had a long-term relationship with musician Paul Simon in the late ’70s and also dated Ringo Starr. Duvall met musician Dan Gilroy during the making of the 1990 Disney Channel movie “Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme,” and they remained together until her death.
Duvall’s career was remarkably versatile. She played a mail-order bride in “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” (1971), a groupie in “Nashville” (1975), and Olive Oyl in “Popeye” (1980). Her performance in “3 Women” (1977) earned her the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. In the 1980s, Duvall produced and hosted several children’s TV series, including “Faerie Tale Theatre,” “Tall Tales & Legends,” and “Shelley Duvall’s Bedtime Stories.”
Duvall moved back to Texas in the mid-1990s and gradually retreated from Hollywood. Her circumstances remained a mystery until a controversial 2016 interview on the “Dr. Phil” show highlighted her mental health issues. “I’m very sick. I need help,” Duvall said on the program, which faced criticism for being exploitative.
Journalist Seth Abramovitch later sought to offer a more compassionate perspective on Duvall’s legacy, writing in The Hollywood Reporter in 2021 that he felt compelled to find her and tell her story. Duvall attempted a return to acting with the indie horror film “The Forest Hills,” filmed in 2022 and quietly premiered in early 2023. “Acting again — it’s so much fun,” Duvall told People at the time. “It enriches your life.”
