10 Actors Who Were Haunted By Their Movie Roles

If you thought any of the previous entries were actors haunted by their movie roles, they simply don’t compare to Shelley Duvall. It’s clear to see that pre and post-filming the silver screen adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining saw two very different versions of Duvall exist in the public eye.

Then 28 years old, Duvall was a promising up-and-coming actress who must have felt on cloud nine following Stanley Kubrick’s personal pursuit for her to be cast to star alongside Hollywood titan Jack Nicolson as his troubled wife, Wendy Torrance.

Although the film turned a profit by doubling its initial budget, The Shining initially received mixed reviews before ageing like a fine wine to be considered one of cinema's greatest horrors. Although The Shining is undoubtedly Duvall’s most recognised and revered role, it is also the role that pushed her to breaking point.

It’s no secret that Shelley suffered tremendously during filming, as Kubrick is reported to have encouraged alienating Duvall from her fellow co-stars on-set as well as frequently being verbally abusive towards her.

Duvall herself later detailed the physical and psychological torture the Wendy role had on her down the line, stating how she “was really in and out of ill health because the stress of the role was so great… it’s the most difficult role I’ve ever had to play.”

Shelley Duvall’s words make for an uncomfortable and unsettling read, as it’s clear the horror was just as prevalent off-screen as it was on-screen.