Shelley Duvall has passed away at the age of 75, as confirmed by her partner, Dan Gilroy, to 'The Hollywood Reporter'. Known for her roles in films such as 'Three Women' (Robert Altman, 1977) and 'Annie Hall' (Woody Allen, 1977), Duvall is most recognized for her performances in 1980, including the film adaptation of 'The Shining' by Stephen King (directed by Stanley Kubrick) and the movie version of the comic 'Popeye', also directed by Altman, where she portrayed Olivia.
Duvall passed away on Thursday while sleeping at her home in Blanco, Texas, as announced by Gilroy. The cause of death was complications from diabetes, according to her friend, publicist Gary Springer.
Struggling with mental health issues for a significant part of her life, Duvall's film career began to decline in the late 80s, following titles like 'Time Bandits' (Terry Gilliam, 1981) and 'Frankenweenie' (Tim Burton, 1984), with occasional appearances such as 'The Portrait of a Lady' (Jane Campion, 1996), before her retirement in 2002. Last year, she returned to the screen after two decades away from the cameras with a role in 'The Forest Hills', marking her final work in film.
In the 70s, Duvall rose to fame in Hollywood, partly due to filmmaker Robert Altman's support, who made her one of his favorite actresses. Duvall was studying at a university in her native Texas when she crossed paths with Altman's team working on the film 'Brewster McCloud'. After meeting at a party in Houston in 1970, the director decided to cast her in the movie and became her mentor. From then on, the actress worked under his direction in various roles in 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller' (1971), 'Thieves Like Us' (1974), 'Nashville' (1975), and 'Buffalo Bill and the Indians' (1976).
A pivotal moment came with her role in 'The Shining', Stanley Kubrick's project to bring Stephen King's chilling work to the screen. In the film, she portrayed Wendy Torrance, the wife of a man tasked with caring for a remote hotel in the Rocky Mountains during its winter closure, played by Jack Nicholson. Duvall's terrified eyes facing a completely unhinged Nicholson became iconic in contemporary cinema. The Spanish dubbed version also left a lasting impression, with Verónica Forqué voicing Duvall's fear. However, the experience was not particularly pleasant for the Texan actress. "I was crying 12 hours a day for weeks," she said in 1981 while filming under Kubrick's direction. "I will never give so much again. If you want to fill me with pain and call it art, go ahead... but not with me."
In 2016, the actress appeared on television discussing her condition: "I am very ill. I need help". She also mentioned malevolent forces trying to harm her. In an interview published by 'The New York Times' a few weeks ago, Duvall attributed the deterioration of her mental health to the 1994 Los Angeles earthquake, which partially destroyed her home in the city, and the stress caused by her brother's cancer.
She also directly pointed fingers at Hollywood executives. "I was a star. I had leading roles. People think it's just about aging, but it's not: it's violence," she denounced. "How would you feel if people were great to you, and overnight, they turned their backs on you? You wouldn't believe it unless it happened to you. And that's why it hurts so much, because you can't believe it's true."