Shelley Duvall returns to acting after 20 years with indie horror film The Forest Hills

The Shining star previously retired after appearing in the 2002 comedy Manna from Heaven.

Welcome back, Shelley Duvall.

The award-winning actress known for her roles in The Shining, Annie Hall, Brewster McCloud, Popeye, and many more is returning to the big screen for the first time in 20 years with the horror-thriller The Forest Hills from writer-director Scott Goldberg. Deadline Hollywood was first to report Duvall's casting.

The film, which also stars Edward Furlong, Chiko Mendez, and Dee Wallace, follows a disturbed man (Mendez) who is tormented by nightmarish visions after suffering from head trauma while camping in the Catskill Mountains. Duvall plays Mendez's character's mother.

Speaking about working with Duvall, Goldberg tells EW, "She was so sweet and kind. She was in great spirits and a true professional." He added that the star was "happy to be on camera," and said that "as a Shining fan myself, it was a delight to see her laugh."

Scott Hansen is producing The Forest Hills alongside Dreznick Goldberg Productions and Digital Thunderdome Studios. Goldberg is also a co-producer on the film.

Shelley Duvall
Scott Hansen / Digital Thunderdome Studios

Duvall announced her retirement in 2002 after appearing in the comedy Manna from Heaven. In 2016, she reappeared on a controversial episode of Dr. Phil's talk show, where she revealed she'd been suffering from mental illness. The interview drew ire from fans, who knocked Dr. Phil for "showboating the visibly ill." Vivian Kubrick — the daughter of Shining director Stanley Kubrick — was also among the interview's critics, calling the show out for a lack of "compassionate healing."

Duvall previously won the Cannes Film Festival Best Actress honor for 3 Women and later a Peabody Award for her beloved Faerie Tale Theatre series. She has also been nominated for two Emmys, one BAFTA, and countless other honors throughout her career.

See a sneak peek of Duvall's new role above.

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