Shelley Duvall: The Shining and Annie Hall actress dies at 75

Shelley Duvall was absent from the entertainment industry for two decades.

Shelley Duvall, a famous American actress recognized for her roles in movies such as The Shining, Annie Hall, and Nashville, has passed away at the age of 75.

Her significant other, Dan Gilroy, verified the information for The Hollywood Reporter.

"My beloved life partner and dear friend has passed away. She has endured too much suffering in recent times, but now she is at peace. Fly high, beautiful Shelley," he expressed, as reported by the publication.

She passed away peacefully in her sleep due to diabetes-related complications at her residence in Texas, as stated by Gilroy.

Duvall also had a role in the 1977 movie 3 Women, which was directed by Robert Altman. She received the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance and was also nominated for a Bafta.

After three years, she played the role of Olive Oyl alongside Robin Williams in Altman's movie adaptation of Popeye.

However, Duvall lost popularity in Hollywood and was absent from the screens for twenty years. She then made her return in the 2023 film The Forest Hills.

Duvall's character went out on a romantic outing with Woody Allen in the film Annie Hall.

With her oversized brown eyes and unique charm, Duvall stood out and drew people in.

She started her professional journey in the world of acting in 1970 with the dark comedy Brewster McCloud, where she first worked with Altman. They collaborated again for the film McCabe and Mrs Miller in 1971.

Following the completion of shooting her scenes as a woman who becomes romantically involved with a bank robber in the 1930s for their upcoming film, Thieves Like Us, Altman expressed to her: "I already knew you had talent, but I had no idea you were exceptional."

She mentioned that comment was "the thing that motivated me to continue and pursue a career in acting".

The director stood by her, at one point describing her as someone who could embody various qualities such as charisma, humor, elegance, vulnerability, and attractiveness.

Altman chose to include her once more in his film Nashville in 1975, which was a satirical commentary on American society, politics, and the country music scene.

In their next project together, 3 Women, Duvall portrayed a chatty, fashion-conscious employee at a health spa. Anne Billson from The Guardian praised this as Duvall's top performance and considered it one of the most outstanding acting achievements of the 1970s.

At the same time in 1977, Duvall had a notable role as Pam, a journalist for Rolling Stone, who went out on a date with Alvy, played by Woody Allen, in the movie Annie Hall.

Shooting The Shining had a negative effect on Duvall.

One of her most famous roles was as Wendy, the spouse of Jack Nicholson's menacing caretaker in Stanley Kubrick's iconic horror film The Shining from 1980.

Shooting the film was really tough. "I had to cry for 12 hours every day, without stopping, for the past nine months, working five or six days a week," she remembered.

Later on, Duvall appeared in movies such as Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits and Roxanne alongside Steve Martin.

She also established her own production companies and created and presented the popular children's television program Faerie Tale Theatre in the 1980s.

She had fewer acting opportunities in the 1990s, with her standout performance in Jane Campion's The Portrait of a Lady. Eventually, she disappeared from the spotlight in 2002.

The New York Times said that it seemed like she disappeared because her house in Los Angeles was damaged by an earthquake in 1994, and she was stressed because her brother was sick with cancer.

Talking about why she hasn't been in movies for a long time, she told the newspaper in May that she had been treated unfairly by the film industry. She explained that even though she used to be a well-known actress with main roles, her absence wasn't just due to getting older, but also due to mistreatment. "I was a star. I had leading roles. People think it's just aging, but it's not. It's violence," she stated.

When questioned, she responded: "Imagine how you would react if everyone was friendly to you, but then unexpectedly, they changed their demeanor towards you."

It's hard to fully grasp something until you experience it yourself. That's why it's so painful when it finally does happen - because the reality is hard to accept.

Worries about her well-being were brought up when she showed up on the Dr. Phil TV show in 2016 and said, "I'm really unwell. I require assistance."

She also discussed receiving communications from a "shapeshifting" Robin Williams after he passed away, and mentioned evil entities that were trying to cause her harm, according to the newspaper.

Talking about that time, Gilroy told the New York Times that she started feeling "overly suspicious and having irrational thoughts".

In an interview with the newspaper, she was questioned about her decision to come back to the big screen in The Forest Hills. Her response was simple: "I missed acting and this guy wouldn't stop calling, so I ended up saying yes."

Author Nicole Flattery stated in a 2023 article for the Financial Times that her comeback demonstrated that her talent was still as strong as ever.

In a piece praising her as the "ultimate movie star", Flattery summarized her skills by saying: "She excels in portraying characters who pretend to be happy while feeling sad, using their silliness to hide their true emotions."