Shelley Duvall

About Shelley Duvall

Shelley Alexis Duvall was an American actress and producer. She won a Cannes Film Festival Award and was nominated for a British Academy Film Award and two Emmy Awards. Four of her films are preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Duvall was discovered by American director Robert Altman, who was impressed by her upbeat presence and cast her in the black comedy film Brewster McCloud (1970). Though hesitant to become an actress, she continued to work with him, acting in the Western film McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), the crime film Thieves Like Us (1974), the musical film Nashville (1975), and drama film 3 Women (1977), the later of which earned her the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. That same year she had a supporting role in Woody Allen's romantic comedy film Annie Hall (1977).

Duvall gained further prominence for her leading roles as Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's horror film The Shining and Olive Oyl in Altman's adventure film Popeye, both in 1980. She furthered this success appearing in Terry Gilliam's fantasy film Time Bandits (1981), Tim Burton's short comedy horror film Frankenweenie (1984), and Fred Schepisi's comedy film Roxanne (1987). Duvall then ventured into producing and creating television programs aimed at children and youth, such as Faerie Tale Theatre (1982–1987), Tall Tales & Legends (1985–1987), Nightmare Classics (1989) and Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories (1992–1994).

From the 1990s, Duvall acted sporadically, playing supporting roles in Steven Soderbergh's thriller film The Underneath (1995) and Jane Campion's drama film The Portrait of a Lady (1996). After appearing in Gabrielle Burton's comedy film Manna from Heaven (2002), she left acting until returning for her final role in the horror film The Forest Hills (2023).

Duvall was of English, French Huguenot, German, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh descent. Her mental health in the interim was covered by the media, briefly turning her private life public. Duvall died of diabetes complications on July 11, 2024.