Indie Star Adrienne Shelly found dead

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Adrienne Shelly, an actress best known for her roles in the Hal Hartley films "Trust" and "The Unbelievable Truth," was found dead in her office by her husband, her agent said Thursday.

Shelly was found about 6 p.m. Wednesday. Police said Thursday night that they are awaiting autopsy results before deciding whether to investigate the case as foul play.

An autopsy was performed Thursday, but the medical examiner's office did not have a cause of death.

Shelly, who was 40, appeared as Jerry in the 2005 film "Factotum" with Matt Dillon. She starred as Audry Hugo in the 1989 film "The Unbelievable Truth" and as Maria Coughlin in the 1990 film "Trust." She worked steadily during her career in film, theater and television but later turned to writing and directing, making her directorial debut with "Sudden Manhattan" in 1996.

Shelly was married to Andy Ostroy and had a 3-year-old named Sophie, according to her agent of about a decade, Rachel Sheedy. Ostroy is not in the movie business.

Born Adrienne Levine in Queens and raised on Long Island, Shelly lived in lower Manhattan with her family and had been focusing more lately on writing, directing and caring for her daughter, Sheedy said.

Shelly recently wrote and directed a film called "Waitress," which starred Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion.

"She was so psyched about the film," Sheedy said. "She gathered an amazing cast, and she was really happy and excited to hear back from Sundance about it."

Source: Associated Press