“The Shining” actress Shelley Duvall passed away on Thursday at her home in Blanco, Texas, according to her partner Dan Gilroy. She was 75 years old.
Gilroy mentioned that Duvall had been in hospice care and bedridden for several months due to complications from diabetes. She died peacefully in her sleep.
“She’s gone after much suffering,” stated Gilroy, who has been her life partner since 1989. “I can’t tell you how much I miss her.”
Duvall is widely recognized for her performances in the 1980 horror classic “The Shining” alongside Jack Nicholson and the 1980 comedy “Popeye” with Robin Williams. Known for her collaborations with film director and screenwriter Robert Altman, her first screen appearance was in Altman’s 1970 comedy “Brewster McCloud,” as reported by Variety.
Her other notable works include “McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” “Thieves Like Us,” “Nashville,” “Buffalo Bill and the Indians,” and “Annie Hall.”
In 1977, Duvall received the Cannes Film Festival award for best actress for her performance in “3 Women.” According to Variety, this role led to her casting in “The Shining.”
In a 1981 interview with People, Duvall mentioned that while “The Shining” elevated her career, the filming experience was grueling. She described director Stanley Kubrick as having her “crying 12 hours a day for weeks on end.”
“I will never give that much again. If you want to get into pain and call it art, go ahead, but not with me,” she remarked.
Duvall began to withdraw from acting in the 1990s, as noted by The Associated Press. She made a return to the screen in “The Forest Hills” in 2023, marking her first role after a 20-year hiatus.
Scott Goldberg, director of “The Forest Hills,” remembered Duvall as a “radiant, very kind and witty” individual.
“She was wonderful to work with and she did a great job. Very proud of her,” he stated in a phone interview on Thursday.
Goldberg expressed his disbelief and sadness over her passing, calling the experience of working with one of his idols a “big accomplishment.”
“It was automatic sadness and shock,” he said. “She was nothing but sweet and nice and sharp, and I really will miss her.”