After his release from prison, Duress wrote a diary about his experiences in jail at the suggestion of the Safdie brothers. The "Los Angeles Times" reported that the Safdie brothers then incorporated his stories into their script for "Good Time". This led to further roles for Duress in various feature films and short films, including "86'd", "Person to Person", "The Mountain", "Funny Pages", and "The Great Darkened Days". Despite his professional success, the actor continually battled personal issues. He was arrested multiple times for identity theft, grand larceny, and heroin possession. His addiction ultimately proved fatal.
"Buddy was like pure electricity on screen. Working with him was one of the greatest adventures of my life. He was a lovable person who loved making movies. Despite all his personal problems, he somehow managed to push them aside at work," said "Flinch" director Cameron Van Hoy to "People". "What happened is a tragic and frustrating loss of great talent," lamented director Jay Karales in an interview with "People". His feature film "Mass State Lottery" starring Duress is set to be released later this year. "He lived like a cowboy, and the burden of this life shaped his abilities and achievements in a way that made him irreplaceable as an actor." Buddy Duress leaves behind his mother Jo-Anne and his younger brother Christopher.