The Shining Star Shelley Duvall Dead At 75

What a loss for cinema…

The iconic Shelley Duvall died at her home in Blanco, Texas on Thursday. According to her spokesperson, she passed in her sleep from complications from diabetes. She was 75 years old.

Musician Dan Gilroy, her life partner for the last 35 years, said in a heartbreaking statement:

“My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley.”

Shelley was best known for her enduring role as Wendy Torrance in The Shining. It was a terrified performance so good it broke some viewers’ brains. For decades the conspiracy theory has grown that she must have been actually tortured on set of the horror flick. The theories were put into overdrive after an appearance on Dr. Phil later in life highlighted (or exploited) her mental health struggles. However, it’s something that’s easily debunked by watching behind the scenes footage and interviews from the time — and something which seriously diminishes how talented she was.

Reminder Shelley played a huge range of characters in adult fare like Annie Hall, Nashville, and Portrait of a Lady and in children’s work like Popeye, Time Bandits, and Faerie Tale Theatre. She was a true original, and she will be missed.