Shelley Duvall’s eyes gleam like moonstone whenever she’s caught on camera. Her odd mouth twists around a secret before her teeth make themselves known in a lovely, blueberry pie–eating smile, and I imagine a dull halo tilting over her head before Jack Nicholson tries to ax her in half in The Shining (1980). In 2024, the reclusive actress died after two decades away from Hollywood, but that image of Duvall looking as heavenly and poppable as a soap bubble stays in my mind, and in an increasing number of horror games.

Duvall practically has a starring role in 2024 indie hit Mouthwashing , whose puddle-eyed nurse Anya was explicitly inspired by the actress, according to developer Wrong Organ . Rosemary Walten in the multimedia Five Nights at Freddy’s fan project The Walten Files likewise shares Duvall’s North Star eyes and Shetland pony hair, and fans are taking notice .…