S Poddar
US actress Shelley Duvall, known for her roles in The Shining, Annie Hall, and Nashville, has passed away at the age of 75. Her partner, Dan Gilroy, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter, expressing his grief and relief at her end to suffering, saying, “My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley.” Duvall died peacefully in her sleep from complications related to diabetes at her home in Texas.
Duvall’s career spanned many notable films, including the 1977 drama 3 Women, directed by Robert Altman, which earned her the Cannes Film Festival’s Best Actress award and a Bafta nomination. In 1980, she starred as Olive Oyl alongside Robin Williams in Altman’s musical Popeye. Despite her initial success, Duvall spent two decades away from the limelight before returning in 2023 with The Forest Hills.
Her captivating presence, marked by large brown eyes and unique charisma, set her apart in Hollywood. She began her career in the 1970 dark comedy Brewster McCloud and continued to work with Altman on films like McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Thieves Like Us. Altman once praised her versatility, stating she could be “charming, silly, sophisticated, pathetic, even beautiful.”
In 1975, Duvall appeared in Altman’s satire Nashville, and two years later, she delivered what many consider her best performance in 3 Women. That same year, she had a memorable role in Annie Hall, playing a Rolling Stone reporter who dates Woody Allen’s character.
Her most iconic role was Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror classic The Shining. The intense filming process took a significant toll on Duvall, who once recalled having to cry for up to 12 hours a day over several months.
Beyond her film career, Duvall ventured into television, creating and hosting the beloved 1980s children’s show Faerie Tale Theatre. However, her acting roles diminished in the 1990s, and she stepped away from the industry in 2002. The New York Times attributed her withdrawal to the aftermath of a 1994 earthquake that damaged her Los Angeles home and the stress of her brother’s battle with cancer.
In a rare interview with the Times in May, Duvall reflected on her prolonged absence, attributing it to the fickle nature of the film industry. “I was a star. I had leading roles. People think it’s just ageing, but it’s not. It’s violence,” she said, explaining how the industry’s abrupt changes deeply affected her.
Shelley Duvall’s legacy is marked by her distinctive talent and memorable roles. She will be remembered as a star who brought depth and uniqueness to every character she portrayed.
