‘She gave me reports on last night’s date with Paul Simon’
Woody Allen, writer, director, co-star, Annie Hall (1977)
We cast Shelley Duvall as the Rolling Stone reporter in Annie Hall because it’s a flaky character and we wanted someone with a little strangeness, not someone who’d have been better playing a quiet schoolteacher or an accountant. She was odd, charming, wonderful-looking in her way and a very good actress with unique screen charisma.
On set, she did pretty much everything on her own. I had no direction to give her. We’d just start the scene and she would come to it with that natural quirky personality. She said the “Kafkaesque” line just like an average person would. When she spoke, with that voice and intonation and look, she made something happen.
I realised she was exactly what we wanted as soon as we began shooting. Before then, you never know what’s going to resonate. Then, when you see the dailies, you realise how good the actor or actress is. With Shelley, it was clear she was giving that character – only words on the page – a real life.
I never saw her socially, or had any conversations with her other than when she’d tell me what a nice time she had with Paul Simon the night before. They began their relationship on the set, so every day just before we shot she would say: “Oh, last night Paul and I stayed up till dawn talking. He’s so great and he’s so charming and he’s so wonderful.”
I didn’t set them up: I just cast them and then got the report every morning. I guess if a film director could have performed a marriage I’d have married them. I was certainly very happy for them, as they were both terrific, gifted people. I was very proud they met on my movie. As told to Catherine Shoard
‘Full of enchantment’
Daryl Hannah, co-star, Roxanne (1987)
While making Roxanne, I had the great fortune to spend quite a bit of quality time with Shelley Duvall. I had long been an admirer of hers since all of her wonderfully quirky Altman films.
Being around Shelley was like being around a magical being – full of creative ideas and enchantment.
‘We were sprayed by the Epping Forest fire brigade’
Michael Palin, co-star, Time Bandits (1981)
I was very sad to hear the news of Shelley Duvall’s death. I worked with her, briefly, when we played the star-crossed lovers in Time Bandits. We spent some time tied to a tree in Epping Forest being sprayed to within an inch of our lives by the local fire brigade.
She was amazingly patient, and very good company. Her soft voice belied strong beliefs and opinions.
She had a great sense of humour and an innate warmth that made her the sort of person you wanted to stay in touch with. Which we did for a while. So sorry that we’ll not be able to laugh and share memories again.
