Shelley Duvall, the actress celebrated for her roles in films like "The Shining," "Nashville," and "Popeye," passed away at the age of 75 due to complications from diabetes. Her death has sparked conversations about her life, career, and the health challenges she faced, including both diabetes and mental health concerns.
Early Life and Career Launch
Shelley Duvall's entry into the world of acting was quite unconventional. As Robert Altman recalled, after screenwriter Brian McKay and assistant director Tommy Thompson returned from an engagement celebration for a local artist in Houston, they told him, “Oh, we went to a party, found a girl, and you’ve got to meet her. She is special!” At the time, she was studying nutrition and diet therapy at South Texas Junior College and working as a cosmetics salesperson at Foley’s department store in Northwest Mall. Without any formal acting experience, Altman cast her in the role of Suzanne Davis in Brewster McCloud, marking the beginning of her illustrious career.
Over the next two decades, Duvall became a prominent figure in classic films, including Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Robert Altman’s Nashville and 3 Women, and Woody Allen’s Annie Hall. Beyond her film roles, she created, hosted, executive produced, and even wrote the theme music for the award-winning children’s anthology series Faerie Tale Theatre.
Career Shifts and Personal Challenges
In 1993, Shelley Duvall sold the rights to Faerie Tale Theatre to a British entertainment company due to increasing financial struggles. As an independent producer, she found it challenging to fund new projects amidst tight credit and rising production costs, leading her to lay off over a dozen employees from her production company, Think Entertainment. While she retired as a producer, Duvall continued to take on acting roles.
In 1994, her Studio City home was damaged in the Northridge earthquake, prompting her relocation to Blanco, Texas, a small town with a population of approximately 1,500. Remaining single and without children, Duvall moved into a modest ranch with a collection of exotic birds and reptiles. As she mentioned during an interview on the Marilu Henner Show in 1994, “At home, it’s a menagerie: 70 birds, all different kinds, ten dogs, one cat, a leopard tortoise, a rabbit, four iguanas, and two desert lizards.”
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Throughout the late 1990s, Duvall continued to accept acting roles and television appearances, but in the early 2000s, these roles diminished. Her 2000 independent film, Dreams in the Attic, filmed in and around Houston and Galveston, was pitched to Disney but never sold or released. Duvall’s final acting performance was in the 2002 film Manna from Heaven.
Health Speculation and the Dr. Phil Interview
In 2009, the National Enquirer published an exposé based on reports from Blanco residents, claiming Duvall was "wandering around town by herself, looking disheveled, muttering to herself and talking about aliens living in her body.” The tabloid quoted a local hardware store owner as saying she asked for dirt and boards to block a hole in her backyard, claiming it was "a portal into another dimension" for aliens.
Despite the tabloid claims, Duvall granted an interview with the Mondo Film & Video Guide in 2010, appearing self-aware and discussing her career and life in Blanco. She stated, “I have a quiet life now. I have a lot of animals on my property and look after them, not a crazy cat lady yet though!! I write a lot of poetry, would love to publish a book of my work one day!” When asked about rumors of reclusive behavior, she responded, “I wouldn’t say I became a recluse…I just took ‘time out,’ I’ve been acting for over thirty-five years, it does take a lot out of you. I just needed some me time, and I’ve loved it! People seem to think I’ve turned into a recluse who never leaves the house and doesn’t communicate with the outside world, that’s just not true."
However, reports from Blanco residents continued to surface, claiming Duvall needed help. In November 2016, she was flown to Los Angeles for an interview with Dr. Phil, her first televised interview in sixteen years. The interview revealed the extent of Duvall’s mental illness, with her delusions and distorted perceptions on full display. She referred to Robin Williams as "alive and shapeshifting," acknowledged "alien implants" in her leg, and expressed fear of the Sheriff of Nottingham.
The Dr. Phil interview sparked controversy, with many criticizing the show for exploiting Duvall's condition for ratings. Vivian Kubrick launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Duvall's treatment, but questions arose about the campaign's legitimacy due to Kubrick's ties to Scientology, which opposes psychiatric treatment.
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Later Years and Passing
Shelley Duvall's cause of death was complications from diabetes. Her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, revealed she had been bedridden and in hospice care for several months prior to her death.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body regulates blood sugar (glucose). There are two main types:
- Type 1 diabetes: An autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
- Type 2 diabetes: The more common type, where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the cells become resistant to its effects.
Diabetes can lead to various complications, including heart disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, eye damage, and more. Managing diabetes involves maintaining healthy blood sugar levels through diet, exercise, medication, and regular check-ups.
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