Shelley Duvall Was ‘Unrecognizable’ without Makeup & Botox in Her Later Years – She Changed after Sacrificing Career for Family

Iconic powerhouse actress Shelley Duvall met her demise on Thursday, July 11, at 75 years old. Her partner, Dan Gilroy, confirmed that she had passed away in her home in Blancos, Texas after being in hospice for the last few months.

She was bedridden due to complications caused by diabetes and died in her sleep as a result. “She’s gone after much suffering. I can’t tell you how much I miss her,” expressed Gilroy. Duvall, who is best known for her stellar performance in “The Shining,” leaves behind an incredible legacy. Here’s how the late star’s appearance started to transform over the years.

Duvall in 1970

Before garnering international recognition with “The Shining,” Duvall had featured in an array of Robert Altman films in the ’70s. In 1970, she appeared in “Brewster McCloud.”

Photos from this movie, where she starred alongside actress Sally Kellerman, show her bright-eyed and bush-tailed. Her signature big eyes were enhanced with striking, exaggerated eyelashes and she still had her brown bangs she became well-known for.

​​Duvall in 1971

Following “Brewster McCloud,” Duvall starred in Altman’s “McCabe & Mrs. Miller.” At this time, the actress still had a bright spark in her eyes. She also posed for magazine covers like Vogue, where she sported a trendy outfit and her signature bangs.

Duvall in 1975

By the time 1975 rolled around, Duvall still embodied an “It” girl persona, with her big eyes embellished with eyeliner and her chiseled cheekbones. While she kept her bangs, she switched up her hair length, rocking a bob.

A picture shared from a scene from “Nashville,” which Duvall starred in, shows the late star’s svelte and toned physique as she sported a crop top and shorts.

Duvall in 1976

A photo from another film that the late actress did shows a remarked difference in her physique. In this picture, Duvall, who wore a yellow dress, appears distinctly thinner than she did in previous years. Her hair was also longer and she ditched her bangs.

Duvall in 1977

Several photos from 1977 show Duvall rock shorter hair again. At this time, she was performing “SNL” skits and starred in a movie called “3 Women.” Close-up images of her face reveal that the actress had subtle freckles as well.

Duvall in 1980

Duvall became an internationally recognized actress after starring in the blockbuster horror film based on a Stephen King novel. Although Duvall’s shrill screams and terrified visage made “The Shining” an iconic horror film, the role of Wendy Torrance took a massive toll on the actress.

She recalled it as the most challenging role she had ever portrayed, admitting that director Stanley Kubrick’s vision for the film eventually led her down a dark path.

Kubrick has always been known for his extreme requirements and insistence that his scenes be as convincing as possible. To achieve this during “The Shining,” the director demanded that Duvall be kept in a constant state of stress. He got the authenticity he sought, but Duvall was never the same again.

Kubrick would harangue Duvall about everything, constantly keeping her on her toes and never complimenting her work. The other actors were even told not to sympathize with her, and by the end of the film, even her co-star Jack Nicholson admitted she had the toughest role he had ever seen.

From the memorable baseball bat scene, where Nicholson’s character stalks his wife, to the famous bathroom door scene, where Nicholson’s character hacks through a wooden door with an axe, the filming was filled with terror.

Through it all, Duvall was often kept oblivious to what was happening and was frequently genuinely terrified. Following her success in the 80s hit film, she went on to star in countless popular films, including “Popeye” and the famous movie “Annie Hall.”

Duvall in 1984

Although Duvall continued making movies after working with Kubrick, her mental health slowly degraded over the years. She spoke up about her experience making the famous horror film and admitted that while Kubrick was harsh, his direction undoubtedly made the film the masterpiece it is.

Duvall in 1985

1985 saw Duvall opt for a more light-hearted role in “Faerie Tale Theatre.” A black and white photo depicts the late actress, who donned a pixie cut, smiling for the camera in her fairy ensemble which featured wings and a sparkly dress.

Duvall in 1986

The following year, Duvall, who kept her pixie cut, starred in the TV movie “Lily,” which again, saw her play a less intense character than she did in Kubrick’s “The Shining.”

Centered around the main titular character Lily (played by Duvall), the film’s plot follows the life of an eccentric and intrepid young lady.

Lily works as an associate curator at the prestigious Jeffersonian Museum in Washington, D.C., and gets to travel around the world.

Other pictures of Duvall circa 1980s show her looking happier. Her cheeks also appear rosier and more flush in the picture below. Her hair also changed from a pixie cut to a slightly lengthier style with bangs.

Another 1980s photo shows Duvall grinning widely, showing off her pearly whites as she posed for the camera. This time, her hair, which was usually dark brown, transformed into a darker red and was coiled in curls.

Duval in 1988

Still appearing chipper and lively, a photo of Duvall in 1988 shows her grinning widely as she confirmed that she had entered an agreement with four cable TV companies to form Think Entertainment. However, in this photo, her brown hair, which she fashioned into a ponytail, looks thinner in volume.

A black and white photo of Duvall from the 9th Annual Cable ACE Awards shows her smiling again, but less widely so like in other pictures. Additionally, while she still had a glint in her eyes, the lines around them appeared slightly more distinct.

Duvall in 1990

1990 saw Duvall return back to her dark red hair and bangs. A picture of her doing the “walk like an Egyptian dance” displays her looking happy-go-lucky and cheerful.

Duvall in 1991

The next year, Duvall attended the 12th Annual Cable ACE Awards where she won in one of the categories. A throwback picture shows her posing with her award as she beamed widely for the cameras while holding it in her right hand. Her red hair was left in loose curls.

At an event to announce The Center for Learning and Literacy’s New Program-Reading Buddies, Duvall kept her red curls and bright smile.

Duvall in 1992

At this time, Duvall was still very much in the spotlight, attending Hollywood events frequently, even though she was not starring in as many movies.

In this picture of Duvall at the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) Convention, while she smiled happily for the photo, her eyes appeared as though they were glistening with tears.

Duvall in 1993

While she appeared less and less in film projects, Duvall still attended prestigious events and ceremonies like the Vision Awards, where she posed in a floral-print dress.

Duvall in 1994

Debuting a drastic change from her red hair, Duvall went back to rocking a dark brown color, but this time she styled her hair in big curls that framed her face.

Coming back to the silver screen, Duvall starred in “Aliens for Breakfast” in 1994. A picture of her posing as her character from the movie showed her with red hair that looked very thin.

Duvall in 1999

As the ’90s came to an end, Duvall started to look even more different. A past photo from the 14th Annual Cable ACE Awards shows the late actress with frail and frayed hair.

After working in Hollywood since 1970, Duvall eventually decided to step out of the spotlight in 2002. Although her mental health played a role, the actress also complained that show business often paid actresses less than their male equivalents. In the ’90s, she was also offered fewer and fewer roles.

Eventually, she decided to call it quits after her brother was diagnosed with spinal cancer. After hearing the news of her brother’s disease, the once-popular actress packed her things and moved back to her home in Texas.

So, in 2002, Duvall left the limelight behind her to reconnect with her family. She commented, “It’s the longest sabbatical I ever took, but it was for really important reasons—to get in touch with my family again.”

Duvall in 2021

Duvall spent 20 years away from Hollywood, living in her small hometown in the Texas Hill Country.

While many locals were aware of her, few really knew that the friendly old woman was once one of the most famous faces in Hollywood. However, Duvall planned on stepping back into the public eye.

Duvall in 2022

After two decades away from the silver screen, Duvall decided to return to what she loves, showing off her acting prowess.

After the director, Scott Goldberg called her in 2022 and asked if she had any interest in appearing in one of his films, “The Forest Hills,” she decided the time was ripe to make a comeback. Her love for acting had been reignited.

Duvall in 2023

Although Duvall had hoped to get back into acting, she opened up about her mental health in the past. In 2016, the actress sat down with the television psychologist Dr. Phill McGraw in an exclusive interview on his show, “Dr. Phill.” During the interview, Duvall spoke about her life and her psychological struggles.

She admitted to McGraw that she was struggling with her mental health. When asked by the TV host whether she was doing fine, she mentioned, “Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. If I say I’m healthy, first thing they’ll do is hurt me tonight.” She also implied that workers at the bank intended to hurt her.

Duvall also spoke about her late “Popeye” co-star, Robin Williams. She mentioned that she loved him very much. However, she commented that she didn’t believe he was dead, saying, “I don’t think he’s dead. [He’s] shape-shifting. He looks real good in some forms; in other forms he doesn’t.”

When McGraw asked whether Duval saw Williams after his death, the actress responded that she had seen him occasionally, in various forms. That said, she also admitted that her mental state had been degrading and commented heart-wrenchingly, “I’m very sick, I need help.”

Fans responded to the video, outraged at McGraw for what they considered the exploitation of a mentally unwell former icon. One fan commented, “It breaks my heart to see this he just humiliated her on tv.”

Many people took to Twitter to criticize McGraw, including Kubrick’s daughter who said, “Your exploitive use of [Shelley Duvall] is a form of LURID ENTERTAINMENT and is shameful. You are putting [Shelley Duvall] ‘on show’ while she is suffering from a pitiable state of ill health. Unquestionably, this is purely a form of lurid and exploitive entertainment — it’s appallingly cruel.”

Another fan stated, “This man just humiliated her and it makes me sick.” Although some people mentioned she looked “unrecognizable,” many supported the actress after she announced she was acting again. One admirer gushed, “So lovely to see Shelley Duvall back to her old self and working on Horror movies again.”

Duvall in 2024

On the day she passed away, someone named Sarah posted a tribute to Shelley Duvall. She shared a selfie with the late actress, who at that point, looked extremely frail and sick.

Alongside the image, she captioned, “Shelley was having difficulties with her health over the past few months and I visited with her often. I’ll always be grateful for the memories I created with her and that I was able to give her comfort and companionship.”