Shelley Duvall, the iconic actress known for her roles in The Shining died on Thursday, 11 July 2024. She was 75.
Shelley Duvall dies: What’s the cause of death?
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According to reports, Duvall died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas.
The cause of death was complications from diabetes, as confirmed by her partner, Dan Gilroy.
“My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley,” Gilroy shared in a heartfelt statement.
Shelley Duvall biography
Shelley Alexis Duvall was born on 7 July 1949, in Texas.
She began her acting career after being discovered by director Robert Altman, who cast her in his 1970 black comedy film Brewster McCloud.
Despite her initial hesitance towards acting, Duvall continued to collaborate with Altman, appearing in notable films such as McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) and Thieves Like Us (1974).
Her breakthrough role came with Altman’s Nashville (1975), and she gained widespread acclaim for her performance in 3 Women (1977), for which she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival and received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress.
Duvall also had a memorable supporting role in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall (1977) and hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live.
In the 1980s, Duvall’s career peaked with leading roles in Popeye (1980) and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), where she portrayed Wendy Torrance.
She continued to work in film and television, including roles in Time Bandits (1981), Frankenweenie (1984), and Roxanne (1987).
Additionally, she ventured into producing children’s television programming, creating and hosting Faerie Tale Theatre (1982–1987) and Tall Tales & Legends (1985–1987).
Duvall’s acting career slowed in the 1990s, with notable roles in Steven Soderbergh’s The Underneath (1995) and Jane Campion’s The Portrait of a Lady (1996).
Her final film role was in Manna from Heaven (2002).
After a long hiatus, she returned to acting in the horror film The Forest Hills, which was her last role before her death.
Reactions to Duvall’s death
The news of Shelley Duvall’s passing has elicited an outpouring of tributes from fans and colleagues alike.
Here are some of the reactions we picked:
