Shelley Duvall, star of ‘The Shining,’ ‘Nashville,’ dies at 75

Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” has passed away at the age of 75.

Duvall died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas. Her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, announced her passing, citing complications of diabetes as the cause. Her friend, publicist Gary Springer, confirmed the news.

“My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us last night,” Gilroy expressed in a statement. “Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”

Duvall was discovered by Altman’s crew members while attending junior college in Texas. They introduced her to the director at a party in Houston in 1970, leading to her casting in “Brewster McCloud” and kickstarting her career as Altman’s protege.

She went on to star in various Altman films such as “Thieves Like Us,” “Nashville,” “Popeye,” “Three Women” and “McCabe & Ms. Miller.”

“He offers me … good roles,” Duvall shared with The New York Times in 1977. “None of them have been alike. He has a great confidence in me, and a trust and respect for me, and he doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him. I remember the first advice he ever gave me: ‘Don’t take yourself seriously.’”

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Dismissed as no typical Hollywood starlet, Duvall’s gaunt and gawky appearance was overshadowed by her beguiling frank manner and unique naturalism. Film critic Pauline Kael even dubbed her the “female Buster Keaton.”

Despite her unconventional looks, Duvall became a prominent figure in the defining movies of the ’70s and ’80s. In “The Shining,” she portrayed Wendy Torrance, witnessing her husband’s psychological descent while isolated in the eerie Overlook Hotel. Duvall’s terrified expression in the film’s iconic image became synonymous with the horror classic.

However, Duvall gradually stepped away from the limelight in the ’90s, eventually retiring from acting. Her final film role was in 2002’s “Manna From Heaven.” She withdrew from public life, resurfacing earlier this year for her first interview in years.

“How would you feel if people were really nice, and then, suddenly, on a dime” — she snapped her fingers — “they turn on you?” Duvall pondered to the Times. “You would never believe it unless it happens to you. That’s why you get hurt, because you can’t really believe it’s true.”