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| Image: Today |
Shelley Duvall, an acclaimed actress best known for her portrayal of Jack Nicholson’s wife in The Shining, died on July 11. Her partner since 1989, Dan Gilroy, confirmed her passing to NBC News in a phone call. She was 75.
Gilroy shared that Duvall passed away shortly after midnight at their home in Blanco, Texas. "She’s gone after much suffering, which I guess is a good thing, but after 34 years … I can’t tell you how much I miss her," he said. He also revealed that Duvall had been in hospice care and bedridden for the past few months due to complications from diabetes.
Born on July 7, 1949, Duvall’s career took off after being discovered by Robert Altman’s staff in Houston in 1970. Altman directed her in her film debut that same year, and they collaborated on several more projects, including McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), Thieves Like Us (1974), and the Oscar-winning Nashville (1976). In 1980, Duvall played Olive Oyl opposite Robin Williams in Altman’s big-screen adaptation of Popeye.
"He offers me damn good roles," she 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, and he doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him."
Duvall's most iconic role came in 1980 when she starred as Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic The Shining. The intense filming process took a toll on her, and she later recounted to People magazine that Kubrick had her "crying 12 hours a day for weeks on end. I will never give that much again. If you want to get into pain and call it art, go ahead, but not with me."
Despite the grueling experience, the film elevated her profile significantly. "When somebody recognizes you at a Dairy Queen in Texas, you’re a star," she once remarked.
Duvall also appeared in the popular sci-fi comedy Time Bandits (1981), Woody Allen’s Oscar-winning comedy Annie Hall (1977), and as Steve Martin’s friend in Roxanne (1987). Her final on-screen appearance before a long hiatus was in 2002’s Manna from Heaven. She returned to acting in 2023 with The Forest Hills.
In addition to her film work, Duvall earned two Emmy Award nominations for her television projects, Shelley Duvall’s Bedtime Stories and Tall Tales & Legends. She also produced, narrated, and starred in Showtime’s Faerie Tale Theatre, which won a Peabody Award in 1985.
Duvall’s health came into the spotlight in 2016 when she appeared on Dr. Phil, revealing struggles with mental illness and making headlines with some of her claims, including the belief that her Popeye co-star Robin Williams was not dead.
Shelley Duvall leaves behind a legacy of diverse and memorable performances that have left a lasting impact on the world of cinema.
See Duvall in action below:
RIP Shelley Duvall (1949-2024)
— DepressedBergman (@DannyDrinksWine) July 11, 2024
The Shining (1980)
Director: Stanley Kubrick pic.twitter.com/13ioHmIQnE
Source: Today
#Actress Shelley Duvall
#The Shining
#Dan Gilroy
#NBC
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