- 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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 
The film was directed by Stanley Kubrick who psychologically tormented her on set. This caused Duvall distress and trauma which affected her mental state.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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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.
“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.”
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
