Duvall was also known for her collaborations with director Robert Altman.
Shelley Duvall, the award-winning actress best-known for her role in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, has died at the age of 75.
Her life partner Dan Gilroy announced the news of Duvall’s death, telling The Hollywood Reporter in a statement: “My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley.”
She is reported to have died in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas, due to complications from diabetes.
Duvall was born in 1949 and entered the film industry after meeting the director Robert Altman at a party, while he was filming 1970 film Brewster McCloud.
She was asked to appear in the film and went on to have roles in a number of Altman’s movies, including McCabe & Mrs Miller, Thieves Like Us, Nashville, Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson and 3 Women.
Duvall had a small role in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall, before taking on the role for which she is best-known, playing Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of The Shining.
Across her career, Duvall also had memorable roles in films such as Time Bandits and Roxanne, and narrated, hosted and executive produced the children’s television programme Faerie Tale Theatre.
What terrible news to wake up to. Shelley Duvall, you were one of a kind. A bold and original talent who gave countless iconic performances in a variety of movies, particularly 3 Women and The Shining. Thank you for making cinema a better place. pic.twitter.com/munqzvc8yh
— Brian Rowe (@mrbrianrowe) July 11, 2024
In 1988, she founded her own production company called Think Entertainment to develop shows and TV films for cable channels, and in 2002, she had a small role in the film Manna from Heaven, before taking an extended break from acting and public life.
She returned to acting once more for the horror/thriller film The Forest Hills, which was released in 2023, and marked her final role.
Across her career, Duvall was nominated for a number of awards, winning Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in 3 Women, and being nominated for a BAFTA for the same role.
Duvall was married once, to artist Bernard Sampson, with the couple marrying in 1970 and divorcing in 1974.
She later had a two year relationship with singer/songwriter Paul Simon, before starting a long-term relationship with musician Dan Gilroy in 1989, which lasted until her death.