The role of Wendy Torrance, Jack Torrance’s wife, in Stanley Kubrick’s renowned horror mystery The Shining is best known for Shelley Duvall. The 1980 movie has endured the test of time and is now recognized as one of the greatest horror movies ever made.
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Even without the typical paranormal accouterments, Kubrick’s masterpiece struck a chilling terror in the audience’s hearts. The focus of the movie was Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Jack Torrance, but Shelley Duvall also gave a standout performance. She was a well-known actress known for playing a variety of roles, but she stopped performing in 2002 and gradually scaled back her media appearances.
In 2016, Phil McGraw spoke with Duvall for his Dr. Phil program. Her deteriorating mental status was then extensively covered in the media. However, in a different interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2018, she asserted that she had a sharp memory of intriguing situations from her playing career. In this article, we try to find out who played the infamous Wendy Torrance in The Shining.
5 Shining Star facts you might not have known
1) Shelly Duvall didn’t want to become an actress
Despite appearing in numerous movies in the 1970s and 1980s, Shelley Duvall never wanted to be an actor. She was raised in Texas where she was born and has always been upbeat and vivacious. She had a lifelong fascination with science and hoped to become one when she grew up. Duvall majored in food and nutrition therapy at South Texas Junior College after finishing high school as a result.
Her entry into the movie industry caught everyone off guard. At a party in 1970, Duvall crossed paths with filmmaker Robert Altman, who was working for Brewster McCloud.
Her exuberant demeanor drew Altman and the crew in, and they wanted her to be in the movie. The suggestion finally won her over after some persuasion. Shortly after, she relocated to Hollywood and collaborated with Altman on several films, eventually rising to fame in the industry.
2) Her awful encounter in The Shining sets
For her famous on-screen appearances in the 1980s and 1990s, Shelley Duvall gained notoriety; yet, after quitting acting in 2002, she fell out of the public eye. One of her most enduring roles was in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror movie The Shining.
She played Danny, the small boy who was seeing terrifying visions, and Wendy Torrance, the protagonist’s wife and mother. She had a dreadful time on set, even though the movie went on to become one of the most renowned horror movies ever made.
Duvall was ruthlessly mistreated by Kubrick despite her frequent claims that his treatment of her was done so to bring out her potential. The gunshot trauma, which had a devastating psychological impact on her mental health, caused her hair to begin to come out. Scenes from Vivian Kubrick’s production documentary provide evidence of its impact.
3) She has continuously performed 127 takes
One of the most unforgettable parts of The Shining was the encounter at the Colorado Lounge. Wendy looks at Jack’s one-sentence piece of work.
The crucial interaction, during which Jack is on the edge of going insane, comes next. While growing more hostile toward Wendy, he makes an effort to convince her of what must be done. In contrast, Wendy has a baseball bat at her disposal to keep her husband away from her. In this scene, Shelly Duvall delivers a sincere performance.
Before deciding that the shot was good enough, Kubrick took a record-breaking 127 shots of the scene. Duvall suffered severe emotional and bodily damage as a result of this interaction. Her eyes were swollen, and her voice was strained as she wailed in pain.
4) Her most famous moment was first criticized
Jack Nicholson and Stanley Kubrick both won awards for their performances in The Shining, while Shelley Duvall’s earned scathing criticism.
In its first year of release, the movie and Duvall were nominated for the Golden Raspberry Awards, a parody prize that honored the worst movies. However, by the late 1980s, the film had received a new appraisal, was a cult favorite, and was on lists of the best horror movies.
Duvall, who received harsh criticism for her poor performance, went on to receive praise from critics for playing the part well. Her behaviors reflected the realism of the situation, and she presented a realistic persona. The organizers finally acknowledged their error and canceled her Razzie candidacy after more than 40 years.
5) Before playing a part in The Shining, Shelley Duvall was well-known
Although Shelley Duvall is most recognized for her role in The Shining, she has been in numerous acclaimed films and delivered renowned performances throughout her long career.
In several Robert Altman movies, including Brewster McCloud (1970), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), Thieves Like Us (1974), Nashville (1975), and others, Shelly Duvall made her acting debut. She later worked with F. Scott Fitzgerald and penned the short story Bernice Bobs Her Hair in 1976.
Her breakthrough performance came in Altman’s psychological thriller 3 Women from 1977, for which she received a BAFTA nomination, the LAFCA Award, and Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival. She later appeared briefly in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall (1977). In 1980, Duvall appeared in two significant films: Altman’s critically praised musical Popeye and Kubrick’s The Shining.
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