Salvador Viniegra - The First Kiss (1891)

Shelley Duvall wasn’t a demure 70s coquette for your moodboard or a nutcase driven mad by Kubrick’s harsh directorial hand. She was a woman with no prior acting experience or training who jumped into the industry and made her mark. She was an unforgettable personality on the screen; so down to earth and approachable yet aloof in her own way. She had a gift that can’t be taught in a drama college; her onscreen manner felt natural. Contrary to urban legend, she didn’t go completely insane after the Shining. She produced 3 successful children’s television series throughout the 80s and 90s and earned a Peabody award and two Daytime Emmy nominations. She was passionate about creating quality entertainment for children.

Many who worship celebrities only worship an image or a constructed narrative, and, admittedly, there’s no way for any of us to have known Shelley as a person beyond her work in film and television. Still, when I look at her I see someone who worked hard to create so many wonderful things, and I think her talent was so much greater than what people gave her credit for.