Shelley Duvall never wanted to be a celebrity. She wanted to be a scientist.
In a clip of a 1984 appearance on "Late Night with David Letterman," reposted on the show's YouTube page shortly after the announcement of her death at 75 on Thursday, she says as much herself. But watching this now — with her gone — and knowing how she struggled at the end of her life with feeling cast aside by an industry that is known for mishandling its eccentrics, the way Letterman treats her during their discussion is more revelatory than what she shares of her initial career goals.
