Shelley Duvall, the actress best known for The Shining, died Thursday at the age of 75, according to her partner Dan Gilroy.
Gilroy revealed in a statement to the newspaper that the star had died in her sleep from complications from diabetes at her home in Texas. The Hollywood Reporter.
“My sweet, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend has left us. Suffered too much lately, now she is free. Fly away beautiful Shelley,” he shared.
Dan and Shelly’s long-lasting relationship lasted more than three decades after they met on the set of a Disney film.
Find out more about the guitarist, who also played in a band with Madonna and dated her briefly, below.
Dan Gilroy (right), Shelley Duvall’s (left) life partner since 1989, confirmed her death to The Hollywood Reporter; (1990 photo)
When did Dan Gilroy meet Madonna?
Dan began his music career in 1979 in New York City, where he co-founded the band The Breakfast Club with his brother, guitarist Ed, and bassist Angie Smit.
She went through several line-ups, including one in the early 1980s that featured the Material Girl was the drummer.
Dan had a brief relationship with Madonna and eventually let her take the lead vocals.
Dan and Madonna starred in The Breakfast Club in 1980 before having a brief romance
Eventually, however, Madonna left and formed a new band: Emmy and the Emmys.
The Breakfast Club scored their biggest hit in 1987 with Right On Track.
The band was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1988, a year before Dan and Shelley met.
In 2016, Breakfast Club released a new album featuring songs originally planned for their unreleased second album.
How did Shelley Duvall and Dan Gilroy meet?
Shelley and Dan started dating in 1989 after working together on the Disney Channel movie Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In the film, Dan played the role of Gordon Goose, while Shelley took on the role of Little Bo Peep. This role reportedly brought them closer together off-screen as well.
Shelley and Dan started dating in 1989 after working together on the Disney Channel movie Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme, according to The Hollywood Reporter; (1990 photo)
The couple eventually moved to Texas, where they lived together until Shelley died from complications of diabetes.
Before Gilroy, Shelley was married to artist Bernard Sampson.
Their relationship ran into difficulties when Shelley’s acting career blossomed, leading to their divorce in 1974.
In 1976, Shelley met singer Paul Simon and they lived together for two years.
Their relationship ended when Paul left Shelley for her friend Carrie Fisher.
What did Dan say about Shelley’s infamous Dr. Phil interview?
In a recent interview with The New York TimesDuvall said she left show business in 2002 because people in Hollywood “hurt” her.
“I was a star; I had leading roles,” she told the newspaper. “People think it’s just old age, but it’s not. It’s violence.”
In 2016, she appeared on an episode of Dr. Phil, where she opened up about her struggles with mental illness during her time on the show.
Many criticized the show’s host for allegedly exploiting the artist’s personal problems.
The couple eventually moved to Texas, where they lived together before Shelley died from complications of diabetes
In the Times interview, Gilroy said that Shelley’s 2016 interview with Dr. Phil was intended to boost her career, but backfired. He portrayed her as “weird.”
He was concerned about her well-being, especially when she slept in her car.
Gilroy also shared that after their Los Angeles home was destroyed by the Northridge earthquake in 1994, they moved to Texas in search of a fresh start.
He said that from then on things went “downhill” and she “became afraid of things, maybe not wanting to work anymore.”