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Shelley Duvall started her acting career in the ‘70s after being discovered by director Robert Altman. The two then collaborated on several films throughout that decade, which made the lanky, doe-eyed actress a household name, with Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) her most memorable character.
The actress appeared in several movies and TV shows throughout the 1990s and 2000s before she slowly faded from the limelight. Her last movie before her two-decade-long hiatus was Manna from Heaven (2002). No one knew what happened to Duvall or why she left Hollywood.
In an interview in 2023, the actress said that by the ‘90s, there weren’t many offers for work. At about the same time, she learned that her brother had been diagnosed with cancer, which was one of the reasons why she decided to go back to her hometown in Texas. “It’s the longest sabbatical I ever took, but it was for really important reasons–to get in touch with my family again,” she said.
The Dr. Phil interview
By 2016, Duvall had been living a quiet life in Texas away from the public eye for years. Her appearance on Dr. Phil McGraw’s show Dr. Phil — her first interview since she left Hollywood — was a surprise. The episode was titled “From Hollywood Star to Near Isolation: Helping The Shining’s Shelley Duvall.” Even before the episode aired, many showed their displeasure with Dr. Phil.
In the 30-second promo video for the episode, several clips of the actress’ interview were spliced together, where she made statements, such as believing Robin Williams was still alive and was shapeshifting, and that she had a “whirring disc” inside her. It ended as she said, “I’m very sick. I need help,” to which Dr. Phil replied, “Well, that’s why I’m here.”
Among those who lambasted Dr. Phil were actress Mia Farrow and Stanley Kubrick’s daughter, Vivian Kubrick. In a tweet, Farrow said Dr. Phil was exploiting Duvall’s mental illness. Vivian shared the sentiment and also penned a short letter to Dr. Phil that read, in part
“I recoil in complete disgust. I hope others will join me in boycotting your utterly heartless form of entertainment, because it has nothing to do with compassionate healing.”
In the episode, Dr. Phil sat down with Duvall for an interview, and she allowed the actress to speak freely while going off tangent. At one point, the host asked Duvall if she was taking any medications, to which she answered, “No. Will you quit trying to pin me with ‘she’s a heavy drinker,’ ‘she takes pills,’ it’s in your head.” Dr. Phil then asked if she would allow him to let him see a doctor, and the actress said she would rather see her own doctor than Dr. Phil’s doctor.
Dr. Phil revealed that Duvall eventually agreed to see a doctor. She traveled with a psychiatric nurse to California, but when arrived at the treatment center, she refused to sign the paperwork needed to begin her treatment. Duvall was flown back to her home, but before the episode ended. Dr. Phil said that he was working with Duvall’s mother to offer Duvall alternative treatments in her hometown, as she refused to take medication.
Shelley Duvall regretted the Dr. Phil interview
One of those who saw the Dr. Phil interview was director Lee Unkrich, an avid fan of The Shining. He took the time to search for Duvall’s whereabouts in Texas for a few years before he finally found her. He showed her photos of The Shining, and Unkrich said that despite having bouts of anxiety and talking about aliens, Duvall was able to coherently talk about herself and her movies for long periods of time.
In 2021, The Hollywood Reporter’s Seth Abramovitch did the same thing and traveled to Texas to visit Duvall. In his article, the journalist wrote he was not sure what he would find when he met with Duvall. “I only knew that it didn’t feel right for McGraw’s insensitive sideshow to be the final word on her legacy.” Just like Unkrich, Abramovitch said that Duvall’s mood changed throughout his time with her, but she was a great storyteller and her memory was sharp.
Abramovitch talked to Duvall about her life and acting career, and the topic eventually landed on the Dr. Phil episode. Duvall said that her mother and her longtime partner, musician Dan Gilroy, didn’t like McGraw, and she agreed to the interview without Gilroy’s knowledge. In an interview with The New York Times, Gilroy said the Dr. Phil appearance did nothing for his partner. “It just put her on the map as an oddity,” he added. Duvall revealed that after the interview aired, McGraw continued to repeatedly contact her mother in an attempt to talk to her again. “I found out the kind of person he is the hard way,” Duvall stated.
Dr. Phil’s response to the backlash
After the controversial interview with Duvall, a spokesperson for Dr. Phil released a statement saying that the show was an opportunity to share useful information with their audience. “With no one else offering help, our goal was to document the struggle and bring amazing resources to change her trajectory,” it read.
In 2023, CNN’s Chris Wallace interviewed McGraw and asked him whether he regretted what he did on the controversial Duvall episode. He said he doesn’t regret what he did, but he regretted the way it was promoted, referring to the 30-second clip trailer for the episode. He further said that nobody asked the people who were critical of him what they did to help Duvall.
Shelly Duvall returned to acting one last time
In 2022, Duvall ended her long hiatus from acting by appearing in the indie horror movie The Forest Hills, directed by Scott Goldberg, who’s a big fan of The Shining. Initially, Duvall was only supposed to have a cameo appearance. The actress said it was the first time she “worked with a director who was on FaceTime,” which she said was fun. However, she conveyed her interest in working with other actors on camera, and her role was expanded. Goldberg described Duvall as “kind, sweet, gentle, and such an amazing actress.” Duvall was happy to have been given the chance to act once again. “It enriches your life,” she said. The movie was released in 2023.
Duvall died at the age of 75 on July 11, 2024, due to complications from diabetes. Her partner of more than 30 years, Dan Gilroy, said in a statement, “My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”