- Shelley Duvall’s life was marked by mental health struggles and a transformation in her physical appearance.
- She faced criticism for losing her teeth while dealing with significant health issues.
- Her final years included a nostalgic return to Hollywood and poignant reflections on her career.
Hollywood recently lost one of its iconic movie stars from the golden age, Shelley Duvall. Her last years were filled with reminiscent memories of her career despite enduring health issues over time. Take a look at Duvall’s appearance before she died, which shocked many.
Shelley Duvall was a legendary actress who had no formal training when she first launched her acting career. Her raw talent as an entertainer was what led to her being discovered by director, Robert Altman.
He cast her in her debut film “Brewster McCloud” in 1970. Duvall made such an impression with her performance that Altman also cast her in several of his other successful movies.
She appeared in “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” (1971), “Thieves Like Us” (1974), and “Nashville” (1975). Duvall continued to thrive with a lead role in “2 Women” (1977) for which she won a Best Actress Award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival.
Shelley Duvall on the set of “3 Women,” 1977 | Source: Getty Images
However, it was her stint in the classic 1980 horror film “The Shining” opposite Jack Nicholson that catapulted her to superstardom. Duvall played Wendy Torrance in the movie and part of her experience was not thrilling.
Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall on the set of “The Shining,” 1980 | Source: Getty Images
The film was directed by Stanley Kubrick who psychologically tormented her on set. This caused Duvall distress and trauma which affected her mental state.
Shelley Duvall on the set of “The Shining,” 1980 | Source: Getty Images
Kubrick chose to cast her after seeing her emotional performance in “3 Women.” He said to the star, “I like the way you cry.” As such, Duvall had to reach a state of hysteria, often crying for 12 hours a day.
Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Jack Nicholson on the set of “The Shining,” 1980 | Source: Getty Images
Moreover, Kubrick’s rigorous filming schedule demanded six days a week, with up to 16-hour days. While Nicholson rented a home in London, Duvall chose a flat near the studio in Hertfordshire.
Shelley Duvall and Jack Nicholson pictured on January 1, 1980, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
Accompanied only by a dog and two birds, she fully committed to her role, ensuring she gave her best performance. “The Shining” holds a Guinness World Record for the most retakes of a scene with dialogue.
Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd on the set of “The Shining,” 1980 | Source: Getty Images
This record-breaking scene required 148 takes. Meanwhile, another challenging scene was the staircase one, which was shot 127 times.
Duvall once noted, “It was a difficult scene, but it turned out to be one of the best scenes in the film.” Despite the demanding nature of the shoot, she cherished part of the experience.
Jack Nicolson and Shelley Duvall on the set of “The Shining,” 1980 | Source: Getty Images
In 1982, two years after “The Shining” brought her fame, the producer launched her production company, Platypus, followed by Think Entertainment. She created kid’s TV shows, most notably “Faerie Tale Theatre,” featuring an all-star cast including Robin Williams, Christopher Reeve, Bernadette Peters, and Mick Jagger.
Shelley Duvall attends a party at the Brunswick Hollywood Legion Lanes on June 7, 1982, in Hollywood, California.
For over two decades, Duvall’s career was on pause. Her final film role before taking a break was in the comedy “Manna From Heaven,” as she mysteriously retired despite a successful journey as an actor and producer.
Shelley Duvall on the set of “Lily,” 1986 | Source: Getty Images
She reflected on her fame in an interview, saying, “I was a star; I had leading roles. People think it’s just aging, but it’s not. It’s violence.” When asked to elaborate on “violence,” she responded with a question.
Shelley Duvall on the set of “Lily,” 1986 | Source: Getty Images
“How would you feel if people were really nice, and then, suddenly, on a dime they turn on you? You would never believe it unless it happens to you,” Duvall noted.
Shelley Duvall at the 9th Annual Cable ACE Awards on January 24, 1988, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Her disappearance from the limelight was not due to a rumored breakdown from her treatment on the set of “The Shining.” Instead, it may reportedly be linked to two significant events that occurred in her life apart from winning a Cable Ace Award in 1994.
Shelley Duvall at the 1994 Cable Ace Awards on January 15, 1994 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
These include the Northridge earthquake, which damaged her Los Angeles home, and the emotional stress of a brother’s illness, which prompted her return to Texas thirty years ago.
Shelley Duvall at the 15th Annual Cable Ace Awards on January 16, 1994, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Duvall returned to the spotlight when she appeared on the daytime talk show, “Dr. Phil” as a guest in 2016. But the rare television appearance proved disastrous.
Eight years later, it remains controversial, as it showed Duvall in a state of distress. She admitted, “I’m very sick. I need help,” to which talk show host, Dr. Phil, responded, “Well, that’s why I’m here.”
During the episode, Duvall claimed that she received messages from a “shapeshifting” Robin Williams, who had died two years earlier. She added that malevolent forces were out to harm her.
Despite the show’s aim of destigmatizing mental illness, Kubrick’s daughter Vivian, criticized it for being sensationalist. “My Letter to you @DrPhil. Re: Your exploitative use of Shelley Duvall is a form of LURID ENTERTAINMENT and is shameful,” she captioned a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Duvall’s longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, also slammed the show. “It did nothing for her. It just put her on the map as an oddity,” he said. Gilroy, who had been in a relationship with Duvall for 35 years, noted that people are fascinated by downfall stories.
Having lived in a secluded one-story house surrounded by fields, the couple enjoyed a serene life together. Their living room features Gilroy’s paintings and framed photos of the pair, with fan mail scattered around.
Dan Gilroy and Shelley Duvall attend a party at St. James Club on October 23, 1989, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
The musician reminisced about their terrific years in L.A. and Texas but acknowledges a decline when Duvall became fearful and reluctant to work. Her imagination, once a strength, turned into paranoia and delusions. She even attempted to contact the FBI and sought protection from a neighbor.
Shelley Duvall and Dan Gilroy at the Los Angeles premiere of “Back to the Future Part III,” 1990 | Source: Getty Images
Duvall’s condition raised concerns about her mental health and led to her further withdrawal from the public eye. However, she finally returned to Hollywood for a work project which turned out to be her last in her early seventies.
Notably, while it is rare for actresses to embrace aging naturally nowadays, Duvall did it. After making a comeback, she sported fine gray hair in bright scrunchies, looking quite different from her 1970s and 1980s heyday.
The award-winning star’s hair was thin, her voice gravelly, and her once slender frame had filled out. Yet, her sparkling eyes and warm, familiar grin remained unmistakable.
This was evident during her last years as she was often featured on social media. Movie producer Xavier Hamel posted a series of her photos under the page titled, “Hello, I’m Shelley Duvall.”
One of the images dates back to March 2021 when Duvall received her Covid-19 vaccine. She was also pictured holding her copy of The Hollywood Reporter.
Several days later, the BAFTA Award nominee posed holding another magazine. It was the original Vogue magazine shoot she did back in 1971 in New York City.
Late that month, she and Hamel took a selfie holding tapes of “Faerie Tale Theatre” and “Tall Tales & Legends.” He explained that they would be watching them that day.
In October 2021, Hamel revealed on Instagram that he and the two-time Emmy Award nominee were heading to an art exhibition. Duvall’s beloved, Gilroy was showing his oil paintings at the time.
Three months later, in January 2022, he shared photos of Duvall’s warmly smiling while inside a vehicle. “Filming in progress,” Hamel captioned the Instagram post.
Later that year, he posted another selfie featuring him and the Hollywood star with both of them wearing sunglasses. Hamel marveled at the memorable experience of filming Duvall’s documentary filled with “incredible stories and heartfelt interviews.”
For the public figure’s birthday in July 2023, he shared a picture of him and Duvall eating cotton candy together. He wished her good health and happiness while expressing love for her.
Hamel was not the only one who had the chance to bond with Duvall before she passed away. A YouTuber had the honor of spending time with the celebrity in the past year and she talked about her experience on set after being away for a long time.
A YouTube interviewing Shelley Duvall on January 18, 2023 | Source: YouTube/grimmlifecollective
Asked how she felt about being back on the big screen, she spoke candidly about the experience. “As natural as could be. It felt great and the people were very nice. I had a wonderful time,” said Duvall. Social media users discussed her appearance after seeing a video of her talking about her comeback.
Shelley Duvall during an interview on January 18, 2023 | Source: YouTube/grimmlifecollective
“Her teeth are missing??” commented one YouTube user. “A movie star with no teeth. How does that happen?” asked another. One remarked, “Something about people with missing front teeth.”
When Duvall appeared on “Dr. Phil” some people empathized with her. One person said, “Makes me feel so sad. I love Shelley Duvall.” “How painful it is to see her now,” wrote another. Meanwhile, one wished her well saying, “My prayers for Shelley Duvall’s wellness. She deserves better in life.”
Duvall suffered from health issues such as diabetes and an injured foot that impacted her mobility significantly. As a result, she often stayed in her 4Runner driving around local nature spots in Texas including visiting drive-throughs and meeting up with people in town.
Shelley Duvall during an interview on January 18, 2023 | Source: YouTube/grimmlifecollective
The veteran star sadly succumbed to the chronic disease on July 11, 2024, at her home in Blanco, Texas. Her life partner Gilroy revealed that she had been in hospice and bedridden months before her demise due to complications from diabetes. She died in her sleep.
“She’s gone after much suffering. I can’t tell you how much I miss her,” said Gilroy. Before his beloved passed, she starred in her last film project. Duvall appeared in the 2023 horror movie, “The Forrest Hills,” opposite Dee Wallace and Edward Furlong.
Shelley Duvall on the set of “The Forrest Hills,” 2023 | Source: YouTube/TheForrestHills
She played the mother of a mentally and emotionally disturbed man Rico (Chiko Mendez) in the film, directed by Scott Goldberg. For her scenes, Goldberg directed Duvall over FaceTime as she filmed the scenes in the comfort of her own home in Texas. Asked if that was a challenging experience, she said no.
Shelley Duvall on the set of “The Forrest Hills,” 2023 | Source: YouTube/TheForrestHills
“That was just great. I find it to be fantastic especially since the picture was clear on the phone,” said Duvall in an April 2023 interview. The crew traveled to Texas from their main location in upstate New York on several occasions to accommodate her mobility issues.
Shelley Duvall on the set of “The Forrest Hills,” 2023 | Source: YouTube/TheForrestHills
When asked how she became a part of the film, Duvall expressed she longed to be on set. “I wanted to act again. And then this guy kept calling, and so I wound up doing it,” she admitted.
Shelley Duvall on the set of “The Forrest Hills,” 2023 | Source: YouTube/TheForrestHills
Ahead of the movie’s release, she gushed about her return following her hiatus. “I know it’s been a long time, but it’s been great. […] It feels good. Makes me want to do more acting. It’s actually so much fun to act in a movie. I should appreciate every minute of it,” the celebrity expressed.
Meanwhile, her co-stars humbly talked about working alongside her. Mendez said he could not have done the stint without Duvall while Felissa Rose shared that as a “genuine” and “honest” person, she lit up a room.
Additionally, Goldberg remembered Duvall after learning about her passing recently. He described her as a terrific collaborator who did her job exceptionally well, adding that he was proud of her.
The late Duvall has continued to receive praise for her stellar career in the wake of her death. Social media users mourned her death with one commenting, “Rest in Peace, dear Shelley. I liked her a lot.”
Another expressed, “I was so sad to hear of her passing. What a loss and such [a] talented lady. RIP Shelley, you were loved by millions!” Someone else said, “I’ve always loved Shelley. She’s not like the typical Hollywood celebrity. She is real. She is humble, down to earth, and a true sweetheart.”
Shelley Duvall was 75 years old at the time of her death and her life was one of remarkable talent. Despite facing immense challenges, she left an indelible mark on Hollywood and the hearts of her fans. Her unique presence and dedication to her craft made her an unforgettable icon, and she will be deeply missed.
