Shelley Duvall, best known for her role in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining , has died at age 75.
“My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley,” her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy , said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday, July 11.
The Annie Hall actress died in her sleep from complications of diabetes at her home in Blanco, Texas, per the outlet.
Shelley Duvall's Dating History: Inside the Private Star's Many Romances Throughout her career, Duvall worked closely with Robert Altman after meeting him at a party. He first cast her in Brewster McCloud in 1970. The role led to a slew of other collaborations over the years, including 1971's McCabe & Mrs. Miller, 1974's Thieves Like Us , 1975's Nashville , 1976's Buffalo Bill and the Indians , 1977's 3 Women and 1980's Popeye .
"What she was doing in Altman movies like Thieves was just transcendent,” Duvall's Nashville costar Lily Tomlin once said of her talent, admitting that they lost touch over the years.
“I tried to find her for a minute when I first heard that she was gone off some place. I think I had a [project] idea for her at the time,” she added. “But I didn’t really put a lot of sweat into it. I wish I had now.”
In recent years, Duvall lived a quiet life in Texas, opting to leave Hollywood in the '90s. Duvall resurfaced in the public eye after taking part in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in February 2021. During the rare interview, she broke down in tears as she recalled some of her memories from filming some difficult shots in The Shining with Jack Nicholson , including the staircase scene.
“Because we filmed that for about three weeks,” the Texas native said at the time. “Every day. It was very hard. Jack was so good — so damn scary. I can only imagine how many women go through this kind of thing.”
She made her film resurgence in 2023’s The Forest Hills . "Acting again — it's so much fun. It enriches your life," Duvall told People in February 2023.
"Shelley's a Hollywood icon. I'm happy that she has the opportunity to show that she still has the talent," director Scott Goldberg said of working with the famed horror actress on the film.
What Was Richard Lewis’ Cause of Death? Inside Late Actor's Health Battle That same year, Duvall provided her longtime fans with another update on her life in the years since moving back to Texas. The film icon got candid about why she took a long break from acting, revealing that she initially decided to step back from Hollywood because her brother was diagnosed with spinal cancer.
"It's the longest sabbatical I ever took," she said, "but it was for really important reasons — to get in touch with my family again."
The Nashville actress also shared that she was optimistic about her return to the film scene after several years away. "[Jessica Tandy] won an Oscar when she was 80. I can still win," she told the outlet.
Duvall is survived by her brothers, Scott, Stewart and Shane, as well as Dan, whom she dated for 35 years.
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