On the serene banks of a river in Texas Hill Country, Shelley Duvall arrives in a white Toyota 4Runner. Her favorite spot is the driver’s seat, which is also the only available seat as the rest of the car is packed with various items, including a bucket of plastic silverware, a jar of Green Giant sliced mushrooms, and a bouquet of silk roses. At 71, Duvall spends her days in her car, chatting with locals and enjoying takeout food. She shares a home with Dan Gilroy, 76, a former member of Madonna’s early band, Breakfast Club. Gilroy, who was briefly linked romantically to Madonna, has been with Duvall since 1989. The couple fell in love while co-starring in the Disney Channel movie “Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme,” which Duvall produced. The film featured an all-star cast, including Duvall’s former boyfriend Paul Simon, and has become a cultural touchstone among millennials.
Duvall’s appearance has changed over the years. Her hair has thinned and grayed, her once breathy, Minnie Mouse-like voice has turned gravelly due to her chain-smoking habit, and her slender figure has filled out. However, her eyes still sparkle, and her toothy grin remains warm and familiar. She arrives at a local cafe, making jokes and raving about the cherry scones. A waitress, Kristina Keller, hands her one through the car window, and Duvall exclaims, “Heaven,” as she takes a bite. Keller later confides that the locals are protective of Duvall, viewing her more as an eccentric aunt than a faded movie star. This protectiveness intensified after a disturbing 2016 interview with Dr. Phil, where Duvall appeared disoriented and shared paranoid fantasies. The episode was widely condemned as exploitative.
For many fans and Hollywood friends, the Dr. Phil appearance was the first glimpse of Duvall since she left Hollywood in the mid-1990s. At that time, she was a successful producer, known for her innovative children’s programming, including the anthology series “Faerie Tale Theatre,” which featured major stars like Mick Jagger, Jeff Bridges, and Carrie Fisher. Director Lee Unkrich, a Shining aficionado, was among those dismayed by her Dr. Phil appearance. He continued searching for Duvall and eventually found her in Texas. Unkrich discovered that while Duvall could be gripped by anxiety and unsettling thoughts, she could also converse coherently and recall details of her life and career with pride.
I visited Duvall in January 2021, unsure of what to expect. Her mood fluctuated, but her memory was sharp, and her stories were engrossing. At one point, she asked me, “What’s your angle?” Her pointed question showed she could still play the game, leaving me momentarily tongue-tied.
Duvall has spent most of her life in Texas, apart from her two decades in Hollywood. Born in Fort Worth on July 7, 1949, she grew up in Houston with her parents, Bob and Bobbie Duvall, and three younger brothers. Her father was a cattle auctioneer turned criminal lawyer, and her mother was a successful real estate agent. Duvall’s father passed away in 1995, and her mother died in March 2020 after contracting COVID-19. Duvall’s brothers are scattered, with one on a fishing boat and another singing with a friend.
In high school, Duvall was a straight-A student with dreams of becoming a scientist. However, her grades slipped as she discovered boys and developed a unique style. She dropped out of South Texas Junior College after witnessing a monkey vivisection and worked at Foley’s department store, where she also did some modeling. It was through modeling that she met her first and only husband, Bernard Sampson, an artist. They met at a benefit for the astronauts who died in the 1967 Apollo 1 disaster.
Duvall’s life changed when she hosted a party to sell Sampson’s artwork, attended by crew members of Robert Altman’s film “Brewster McCloud.” They were taken with Duvall and arranged for her to meet Altman and his producer, Lou Adler. Duvall’s first role in “Brewster McCloud” led to a fruitful collaboration with Altman, who cast her in six more films, including “McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” “Nashville,” and “Popeye.”
Duvall’s performance in Altman’s “3 Women” was a major breakthrough, earning her the best actress award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival. Her role in “The Shining,” directed by Stanley Kubrick, is perhaps her most famous. The grueling shoot took 56 weeks, with Kubrick demanding numerous takes for each scene. Duvall’s dedication to her role was evident, even as she faced emotional and physical challenges.
Despite the difficulties, Duvall’s performance in “The Shining” is widely regarded as powerful and memorable. Her ability to convey raw emotion and vulnerability left a lasting impact on audiences and critics alike. Today, Duvall lives a quieter life in Texas with Dan Gilroy, far from the Hollywood spotlight but still cherished by those who remember her remarkable contributions to film and television.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair
