Shelley Duvall is finally opening up about her 2016 appearance on “Dr. Phil.” The interview was widely criticized at the time for exploiting her mental health issues, and in her new profile in “The Hollywood Reporter,” Duvall reflects on the controversial appearance.
Duvall has been living life under the radar in Texas for nearly three decades now, and in her “Hollywood Reporter” profile, writer Seth Abramovitch notes that her “mood ebbed and flowed throughout the day.” However, her memory was “sharp,” and Duvall was apparently “visibly distressed” when he brought up Dr. Phil.
Duvall says she was told by “a lot” of people, including partner Dan Gilroy, that she “shouldn’t have done” the interview. And her mom straight up “didn’t like” Dr. Phil, especially after having to field several of his calls to Duvall after the interview trying to set up a second round.
- Dr. Phil’s rep tells “The Hollywood Reporter” that those follow-ups had to do with their offers to Duvall for inpatient treatment including full physical and mental evaluations to give her “a chance to privately manage her challenges.” And when it comes to claims they exploited her mental struggles, his reps say they don’t attach that kind of “mental illness stigma,’ insisting their goal was to share “relatable, useful information” with the audience and offer Duvall “amazing resources to change her trajectory.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
