Shelley Duvall Described Stanley Kubrick as "Very Warm and Friendly" on 'The Shining' Set

On July 11, 2024, the entertainment industry was struck by a devastating loss with the death of acclaimed actress Shelley Duvall. Her life partner, Dan Gilroy, confirmed in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that Shelley died peacefully in her sleep due to complications from diabetes.

She was 75 years old.

As fans celebrate her life, many are eager to revisit some of Shelley's most memorable works. Among them is the psychological horror film The Shining, a movie overshadowed by the alleged abuse she endured from writer-director Stanley Kubrick on set.

Read on for more details.

In mid-February 2021, Shelley spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and opened up about the grueling schedule she endured while filming The Shining. The Peabody Award winner recounted having to cry every day throughout the 56-week shoot, which significantly took a toll on her physical and mental health.

Shelley explained to the outlet that "after a while, your body rebels. It says: 'Stop doing this to me. I don't want to cry every day.' And sometimes just that thought alone would make me cry. To wake up on a Monday morning, so early, and realize that you had to cry all day because it was scheduled — I would just start crying."

When asked by the outlet about rumors of Stanley Kubrick's cruelness or abuse on set to elicit better performances, Shelley said, "He's got that streak in him. He definitely has that. But I think mostly because people have been that way to him at some time in the past. His first two films were Killer’s Kiss and The Killing."

Despite this, Shelley shared that Kubrick was "very warm and friendly" to her on set. She added, "He spent a lot of time with Jack [Nicholson] and me. He just wanted to sit down and talk for hours while the crew waited. And the crew would say, 'Stanley, we have about 60 people waiting.' But it was very important work."

Rest in the sweetest peace, Shelley.