Shelley Duvall, known for her work in movies such as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and Robert Altman’s live-action Popeye movie, has sadly passed away at the age of 75.
Shelley Duvall Dead At 75
The iconic actress passed away on Thursday, July 11, 2024 from complications with diabetes. In a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Duvall’s life partner Dan Gilroy revealed the actress passed away painlessly during her sleep.
“My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley,” Gilroy said.
Born in 1949, Duvall started her acting career with 1970’s Brewster McCloud at the age of 21. Playing the role of Suzanne Davis, Duvall quickly became a favorite amongst 70s Hollywood. Over the years, Duvall would appear in a number of additional movies, including Frakenweenie and RocketMan, but remains most known for her role as Wendy Torrance in The Shining.
Duvall did not return for the role of Wendy Torrance in the movie's sequel Doctor Sleep.
Shelley Duvall’s Later Years
Duvall largely left the acting industry in the early 2000s, but returned after a 21-year absence for the 2022 horror movie The Forest Hills. Duvall also made more public appearances on social media across TikTok and Twitter, much to fan excitement.
Unfortunately, Shelley Duvall’s later years saw the actress struggle with mental health issues. In a 2016 interview with Dr Phil, Duvall explained that she was suffering from mental health problems. However, the controversial segment was seen as manipulative with Stanley Kubrick’s daughter writing an open letter to the show’s lead expressing her disgust.
“Unquestionably, this is purely a form of lurid and exploitive entertainment—it’s appallingly cruel,” Vivian Kubrick wrote. “Shelley Duvall was a movie star… whatever dignity a mere unfortunate creature might have in this world, Is denied her by your displaying her in this way.”
As one of the greatest actresses of the golden age of the New American Cinema period, Shelley Duvall has already gone down in history as one of America’s most beloved actresses.