Shelley Duvall has died at the age of 75. The actress was a beloved figure in 70’s cinema, known for her work with the award-winning filmmaker Robert Altman and her performance in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” which is regarded as one of the best horror films ever made.
Duvall died in her home in Blanco, Texas. Her death was confirmed by her partner, Dan Gilroy, and was related to complications from diabetes. “My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley,” he said. In recent years, Duvall had escaped public life, yet her face, screen presence, and films remained impactful for film lovers of all backgrounds and ages.
Her career in acting was almost out of a fairytale. She met director Robert Altman by chance, at a party to sell some of her former husband’s artwork. Despite having no acting experience, Altman convinced her to do a screen test for one of his films. She was then cast in five of his Altman, including “McCabe and Mrs. Miller”, “Thieves Like Us”, and “Nashville”. She also starred opposite Robin Williams in “Popeye”.
© Bettmann Archive/Getty ImagesDuvall was one of the most beloved actresses of her era
“I remember the first advice he ever gave me: ‘Don’t take yourself seriously.’ Sometimes I find myself feeling self-centered, and then all of a sudden that bit of advice will pop into my head and I’ll laugh,” she said of her relationship with Altman, in a 1977 profile published in The New York Times.
Duvall became one of the leading actresses of her era, winning a Cannes award, dating celebrities like Paul Simon and Ringo Starr, hosting Saturday Night Live, and starring opposite Jack Nicholson in “The Shining.”
In 2022, she briefly returned to acting, in the film “The Forest Hills.” She’s survived by her brothers, Scott, Stewart and Shane.