Shelley Duvall, Legendary Star Of The Shining And 3 Women, Dead At 75

After generations have repeated, "Hello, I'm Shelley Duvall!" in the legendary actress' trademark soft and sweet vocal inflection, fans across the globe must now bid the wide-eyed performer a farewell. The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Duvall has passed away at the age of 75. Her death was confirmed by her partner, musician Dan Gilroy, who has been with her since 1989.

"My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she's free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley," Gilroy told THR.

With a career spanning over 50 years, Shelley Duvall was a distinct and unique talent unlike anyone else of her generation. Known by most as Wendy Torrance, the tortured wife of Jack Nicholson in Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining," Duvall was also the shining star of Robert Altman's golden era — starring in seven films directed by the equally legendary filmmaker. It was her starring turn in Altman's "3 Women" that earned her the Best Actress award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival. She won a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award and a BAFTA Award nomination in the same category for the film as well.

After a 21-year absence, Shelley Duvall recently returned to acting in 2023 with the horror film "The Forest Hills." But before her absence from the spotlight, Duvall was not just an actress, but also the head of Think Entertainment, her own production company which centered on programming for children. She was nominated for two Emmy Awards for "Tell Tales & Legends" and "Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories," winning a Peabody for "Faerie Tale Theatre."

2019 brought Duvall a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women Film Critics Circle Award, and In 2020 she was inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame. There was truly no one like her, and her passing will be greatly felt.

Shelley Duvall was first discovered by Robert Altman during the production of "Brewster McCloud" when she was studying nutrition and diet therapy and South Texas Junior College. As the legend goes, Altman and members of the film's production were struck by her unique beauty and invited her for a screen test. She made her onscreen debut in the film as the Astrodome tour guide who became the love interest to Bud Cort's titular, reclusive Brewster. Her relationship with Altman would continue in "McCabe & Mrs. Miller," "Thieves Like Us," "Nashville," "Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson," "Popeye," and of course, "3 Women." The latter is largely considered to be Duvall's finest work and with good reason. She was transcendent, magnetic, and completely unforgettable in the role of Millie Lammoreaux. It could be argued that it's the character that understood what made Duvall so special.

But as is the case with anyone who has starred in a genre-shaping horror film, Shelley Duvall has become synonymous with her performance in "The Shining," one of the premiere horror performances despite Kubrick's questionable methods of directing. Her fearless portrayal set the standard for tortured women on screen, but she was so much more than Wendy Torrance. Duvall is a testament to resilience, as Hollywood and the entertainment industry weren't always kind to her. Her appearance on "Dr. Phil" in 2016 is one of the most exploitative interviews of his career (and that's saying something), but Duvall should not be defined by her hardships.

Shelley Duvall brought a sense of whimsy and sincere passion to all that she did, and she deserves to be remembered as a singular presence. There was something ethereal about Shelley Duvall, making her "Faerie Tale Theatre" seem as if this was Duvall finally telling us that she really was magic.