Shelley Duvall, the versatile actor renowned for her roles in “The Shining” and her collaborations with director Robert Altman, passed away Thursday at the age of 75.
According to her partner Dan Gilroy, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Duvall died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas, due to complications from diabetes.
Born on July 7, 1949, in Fort Worth, Texas, Duvall was discovered by Altman, the iconic filmmaker known for his vivid characters and sharp social commentary. He cast her in the 1970 dark comedy “Brewster McCloud,” marking the beginning of their fruitful working relationship.
Duvall, with her distinctive look and saucer eyes, quickly developed a broad acting repertoire. She gained significant recognition with the 1975 film “Nashville” and went on to deliver memorable performances, including her award-winning role in the 1977 drama “3 Women,” which earned her acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival.
Her career was significantly shaped by her collaboration with Altman. Duvall once shared with The New York Times in 1977, “He offers me damn good roles. None of them have been alike. He has great confidence in me, and a trust and respect for me, and he doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him.”
Duvall’s most iconic role came with Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Shining,” where she starred opposite Jack Nicholson. The role of Wendy Torrance in this horror classic was particularly demanding, with Duvall recounting to People in 1981 that the 13-month shoot was grueling, often having her “crying 12 hours a day for weeks on end.” She famously stated, “I will never give that much again. If you want to get into pain and call it art, go ahead, but not with me.”
One of the film’s most memorable scenes, where Nicholson’s character terrorizes Duvall’s with a baseball bat, reportedly took 127 takes to meet Kubrick’s exacting standards.
Beyond “The Shining,” Duvall made notable appearances in Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall” in 1977 and played Olive Oyl opposite Robin Williams in Altman’s 1980 live-action adaptation of “Popeye.” Later in her career, she ventured into children’s programming.
Duvall’s longtime partner, musician Dan Gilroy, met her on the set of the 1990 Disney Channel movie “Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme.” Gilroy, who was once part of the band Breakfast Club and dated Madonna, expressed his sorrow to The Hollywood Reporter, saying, “My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley.”
