Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack (née Bertolotti; November 10, 1977 – December 20, 2009) was an American actress and singer, known for playing Tai Frasier in the teen movie Clueless (1995), Alex Latourno in 8 Mile (2002) and Daisy Randone in Girl, Interrupted (1999).
Born in Atlanta, Murphy moved to Los Angeles as a teenager
and pursued a career in acting. Her breakthrough role was as Tai Frasier in
Clueless (1995), followed by supporting roles in independent films such as
Freeway (1996) and Bongwater (1998). She made her stage debut in a Broadway
production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge in 1997 before appearing
as Daisy Randone in Girl, Interrupted (1999) and as Lisa Swenson in Drop Dead
Gorgeous (1999).
In the 2000s, Murphy appeared in Don't Say a Word (2001)
alongside Michael Douglas, and alongside Eminem in 8 Mile (2002), for which she
gained critical recognition. Her later roles included Riding in Cars with Boys
(2001), Spun (2002), Just Married (2003), Uptown Girls (2003), Sin City (2005),
and Happy Feet (2006). Murphy also voiced Luanne Platter on the animated
television series King of the Hill (1997–2010). Her final film, Something
Wicked, was released in April 2014.
On December 20, 2009, Murphy died at age 32 under disputed
circumstances. The coroner's verdict was pneumonia, exacerbated by anemia.
Early life
Brittany Anne Bertolotti was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to
Sharon Kathleen Murphy and Angelo Joseph Bertolotti, who divorced when she was
two years old. Murphy was raised by her mother in Edison, New Jersey.
Bertolotti was not named as her father on Brittany's first death certificate.
Later in an interview she has stated that Sharon struggled financially, where
she forced her to eat spaghetti every night and, on certain occasions, had to
beg her mother to buy clothes at Kmart; this would later explain Murphy's
marked social investment in homeless causes, as discussed in a February 2003
Glamour article.
Prior to her enrolling at Edison High School, the family
moved to Los Angeles in 1991 so that Murphy could pursue an acting career.
Murphy said her mother never tried to stifle her creativity, and she considered
her mother a crucial factor in her later success: "When I asked my mom to move to California, she sold everything
and moved out here for me. She always believed in me." Murphy's mother is of Irish and Slovakian
descent, and her father is of Italian ancestry. She was raised a Baptist and
later became a non-denominational Christian. She had two older half-brothers
and a younger half-sister.
Career
1991–1999: child
acting and first roles
Murphy attended Verne Fowler School of Dance and Theatre
Arts in Colonia, New Jersey, in 1982. From the age of four, she trained in
singing, dancing, and acting until her move to California at thirteen. Murphy
made her Broadway debut in 1997, as Catherine, in a revival of Arthur Miller's
A View from the Bridge opposite veteran actors Anthony LaPaglia and Allison
Janney.
Murphy landed her first job in Hollywood when she was
thirteen, starring as Brenda Drexell in the series Drexell's Class. She then
went on to play Molly Morgan in the short-lived The Torkelsons spinoff Almost
Home.[19] Murphy also guest-starred on several television series, including Parker
Lewis Can't Lose, Blossom, seaQuest 2032, Murder One and Frasier. She also had
recurring roles on Party of Five, Boy Meets World, and Sister, Sister.
Murphy's breakthrough role was in her second feature film,
the teen comedy Clueless (1995), directed by Amy Heckerling, which developed a
cult following.[citation needed] She followed this with roles in Freeway
(1996), with Reese Witherspoon and Kiefer Sutherland, and the independent
comedy Bongwater (1998). In 1999, she had a supporting role in James Mangold's
Girl, Interrupted as a troubled psychiatric patient alongside Winona Ryder and
Angelina Jolie; and as an aspiring beauty queen in Drop Dead Gorgeous. She also
voiced the character Luanne Platter on Fox's animated sitcom King of the Hill for
the entirety of the show's run from 1997 to 2009, and Joseph Gribble until the
fifth season. She was nominated for an Annie Award for voice acting in the King
of the Hill episode "Movin' On
Up".
2000–2009: acting
success and final works
She began the 2000s with a leading role in Don't Say a Word
(2001) alongside Michael Douglas; the TV adaptation of the novel The Devil's
Arithmetic (2001); 8 Mile (2002), for which she received critical acclaim; and
Uptown Girls (2003). In 2003, she starred in the romantic comedies Just Married
and Little Black Book (2004) and the critically acclaimed Sin City (2005). Film
critic Roger Ebert frequently acclaimed Murphy's acting talent and comedic
timing, giving good reviews to several of her films and comparing her to
Lucille Ball:
As for Brittany Murphy, for me, it goes back to the 2003 Independent
Spirit Awards Murphy was assigned to present one of the awards. Her task was to
read the names of the five nominees, open an envelope, and reveal the name of
the winner. This she turned into an opportunity for screwball improvisational
comedy, by pretending she could not follow this sequence, not even after the
audience shouted instructions and the stage manager came to whisper in her ear
not once but twice. There were those in the audience who were dumbfounded by
her stupidity. I was dumbfounded by her brilliance.
Murphy followed with several independent films, including as
Spun (2002), Neverwas (2005), and Karen Moncrieff's The Dead Girl (2006), as
well as two Edward Burns films: Sidewalks of New York (2001) and The Groomsmen
(2006). She returned to voice acting with the critically acclaimed 2006
animated feature Happy Feet, as Gloria Penguin. In 2009, she was cast in the
Lifetime TV movie Tribute, as the main character, Cilla. Murphy completed the
thriller/drama Abandoned in June 2009 and it was released in 2010, after her
death. In November 2009, Murphy left the production of The Caller, which was
being filmed in Puerto Rico, and was replaced by Rachelle Lefevre. Murphy
denied media reports that she had been fired from the project after being
difficult on set, and cited "creative
differences". Something Wicked, her final film, was released in 2014.
Music
Murphy's career also included work as a singer. She
commented: "My singing voice isn't
like my speaking voice...I've just always kept it a secret and never taken
credit because I wanted to learn how to work behind the microphone in a
recording studio, and some of the singers don't even know it was me recording
on their albums."
She was in a band called Blessed Soul with fellow actor Eric
Balfour in the early 1990s. On June 6, 2006, Murphy and Paul Oakenfold released
the single "Faster Kill
Pussycat", from the album A Lively Mind. The song became a club hit
and hit number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart. It also hit number
seven in Oakenfold's native United Kingdom in June 2006.
She dabbled in music again with the release of the film
Happy Feet, in which she covered Queen's "Somebody
to Love" and Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland". Murphy said about her character,
Gloria, "Oddly enough, of all the
characters I've played, Gloria is the most like me. And she's a penguin! George
Miller always wanted one person to do both [the speaking and the singing]. I
said, 'I can sing,' and I asked him to give me a shot. I don't think he took me
very seriously, because most actors say they can do most things."
Personal life
Relationships
In late 2002, she began dating Ashton Kutcher, her co-star
in Just Married, where they met while filming the same film. The director of
the production, Shawn Levy, has commented on the relationship saying: "From the minute they met, they were
together, they laughed all the time, they made jokes and they looked
happy". It was later revealed that they had been engaged, due to both
Kutcher and Murphy wearing rings, although it was never officially confirmed.
She was engaged to talent manager Jeff Kwatinetz, but their relationship only
lasted four months. She was subsequently with Joe Macaluso in December 2005, a
production assistant she met while working on the film Little Black Book. Four
months after the filming of The Ramen Girl, which was in April 2006, they broke
up.
Months after her relationship with Macaluso, she met Simon
Monjack, a British screenwriter. Murphy and Monjack were married in a private
Jewish ceremony in Los Angeles in May 2007.
In the 2021 documentary What Happened to Brittany Murphy?,
several of Monjack's colleagues and friends accused him of being responsible
for Murphy's physical changes and also of not letting her connect with her
family. According to the testimony of his ex-fiancée, Elizabeth Ragsdale,
Monjack "was a disturbed individual
who was used to conning people and Brittany was one of his latest victims."
Health
In the early 2000s, Murphy lost a large amount of weight,
which led to rumors of a cocaine addiction. In 2005, Murphy disputed such
claims to Jane magazine, saying: "No,
just for the record I have never tried it in my entire life." In turn,
from an early age she began to be addicted to tobacco, she appeared smoking
both in movies and in the making-ofs in which she appeared. A Rolling Stone
journalist remarked that "she
smelled of vanilla and apricots. She had a cigarette in her hand. .... After a
while, she pointed out that this was only her third cigarette of the week and
that, consequently, 'I don't smoke, and I'm not smoking!' But you are smoking.
'Oh, now', she said, as if only a dullard could think otherwise. ... even
though she doesn't smoke and wasn't smoking, she lit her fourth cigarette of
the week and began smoking it avidly, passing time in the bathroom until it was
yummy time for her again". Despite her excessive consumption, she has
tried to quit her addiction and was against the use of marijuana, even
appearing in an anti-smoking campaign on NBC alleging how harmful nicotine is,
saying "If you want to look smokin',
don't start smoking - it's one ugly habit".
Death
At 8:00 a.m. on December 20, 2009, the Los Angeles Fire
Department responded to "a medical
request" at the Los Angeles home Murphy and Monjack shared. She had
apparently collapsed in a bathroom. Firefighters attempted to resuscitate
Murphy on the scene. She was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where
she died at 10:04 a.m. after going into cardiac arrest.
An autopsy was performed the day after she died. The Los Angeles
County Coroner's Office, in a report issued February 2010, said that the manner
of death was accidental and that the cause of death was pneumonia, with
secondary factors of severe iron-deficiency anemia and multiple drug
intoxication. The coroner found a range of over-the-counter and prescription
medications in Murphy's system, with the most likely reason being to treat a
cold or respiratory infection. These included "elevated levels" of hydrocodone, acetaminophen,
L-methamphetamine, and chlorpheniramine, all of which are legal. The report
observed: "the possible adverse
physiological effects of elevated levels of these medications cannot be
discounted, especially in her weakened state."
On December 24, 2009, Murphy was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial
Park in Hollywood Hills.
In January 2010, Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack, and her
mother, Sharon Murphy, claimed that she did not use alcohol or other drugs, and
that drugs did not cause her death; instead they attributed it to a heart
condition, mitral valve prolapse.
On May 23, Monjack was found dead at the same Hollywood
Hills residence. The coroner's report attributed his death to acute pneumonia
and severe anemia. It was reported that the Los Angeles County Department of
Health had considered toxic mold in their house as a possible cause of the
deaths, but this was dismissed by Los Angeles Assistant Chief Coroner Ed
Winter, who stated that there were "no
indicators" that mold was a factor. Sharon Murphy described the
reports of mold contributing to the deaths as "absurd" and went on to state that inspecting the home
for mold was never requested by the Health Department. In December 2011, Sharon
Murphy changed her stance, announcing that toxic mold was indeed what killed
her daughter and son-in-law, and filed a lawsuit against the attorneys who
represented her in an earlier suit against the builders of the home where her daughter
and son-in-law died.
In January 2012, Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, applied
to the Superior Court of California requesting that the Los Angeles County
Coroner's Office be required to hand over samples of his daughter's hair for
independent testing. The suit was dismissed seven months later, after
Bertolotti failed to attend two separate hearings.
In November 2013, Bertolotti claimed that a toxicology
report showed that deliberate poisoning by heavy metals, including antimony and
barium, was a possible cause of his daughter's death. Sharon Murphy described
the claim as "a smear".
Brittany Murphy Foundation
In January 2010, Murphy's mother, Sharon, and her widower,
Simon Monjack, established the Brittany Murphy Foundation, a charitable fund
for children's arts education, as well as supporting the USO and cancer
research.
The Foundation was launched on February 4, 2010, at a
fundraising event at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. After a records search
revealed that the foundation's not-for-profit status had not been filed, the
foundation refunded any donations received. In an official letter on the
foundation's website, they stated that in an effort to get the foundation set
up as quickly as possible, they had established it as a private foundation with
plans to apply for nonprofit status later. However, they said that they had
decided to wait until the foundation's nonprofit status was approved before
going any further in order to truly honor Murphy and the foundation's
charitable goals.
On November 10, 2013, the Brittany Murphy Foundation was
officially relaunched by her father Angelo Bertolotti, according to a press
release posted at the foundation's website.
As of September 2018, the Brittany Murphy Foundation appears
to be defunct. GuideStar USA, Inc., an information service specializing in
reporting on US nonprofit companies, reports that the Brittany Murphy
Foundation has not appeared on the IRS Business Master File in a number of
months, which may indicate that it has ceased operations.
Legacy
Several events occurred after her death: Dakota Fanning, her
co-star in the film Uptown Girls (2003) who maintained a friendship with her,
said she appreciated the time they spent together both on the set of the film
and at events they attended together, and that she was "very grateful to have had the opportunity to work
together". The song "Faster
Kill Pussycat", by British DJ Paul Oakenfold performed by Murphy,
re-entered at number seven on the UK Dance Chart. It also entered the UK Indie
Chart in the same week, peaking at number 13.
In October 2021, HBO Max aired a documentary titled What
Happened, Brittany Murphy?, covering the mystery surrounding Murphy's death. In
the documentary, Murphy's 8 Mile co-star Taryn Manning remembered her as "free-spirited, whimsical and full of
laughter". After the
documentary premiere, Daniel Fienberg wrote for The Hollywood Reporter that the
documentary was "20 percent a
reminder of Murphy's transcendent talent, 30 percent a dead-ended investigation
into the mystery of her death, and 50 percent an unenlightening examination of
Murphy's late husband", and concluded his review saying that "[Murphy] deserved better than the
treatment she received in the media, which probably contributed to [Monjack's]
ability to control her in the way he did."
In 2023 Alicia Silverstone, who was also her co-star in
Clueless (1995) and one of her friends, commented on what it was like working
with Murphy during the filming of the film:
I always remember when
she auditioned for the part. It was the first time I was in a casting room
where I was not auditioning. I was just there to help them facilitate chemistry
reads. I just remember when she came in and did hers, because when she walked
out of the room, I was like, "You guys! Did you see that?" As if they
wouldn't know. They were like, "Yes, we saw that!" They were excited
too, but it was my first time. She was just so good.— Alicia Silverstone
Filmography
Films
1993 Family
Prayers Elise Alternative title: A Family Divided
1995 Clueless Tai Frasier
1996 Freeway Rhonda
1997 Bongwater Mary
Drive Deliverance
Bodine
1998 Falling Sky Emily Nicholson
The Prophecy II Izzy Direct-to-video release
Phoenix Veronica
Zack and Reba Reba
Simpson
1999 Drop Dead
Gorgeous Lisa Swenson
Girl, Interrupted Daisy
Randone
2000 Trixie Ruby Pearli
Angels! Nurse Bellows
Cherry Falls Jody
Marken
The Audition Daniella Short subject
2001 Sidewalks of
New York Ashley
Summer Catch Dede
Mulligan
Don't Say a Word Elisabeth
Burrows
Riding in Cars with Boys Fay
Forrester
2002 Spun Nikki
Something in Between Sky Short subject
8 Mile Alex Latourno
2003 Just Married Sarah McNerney
Uptown Girls Molly
Gunn
Good Boy! Nelly Voice role
2004 Little Black
Book Stacy Holt
2005 Sin City Shellie
Neverwas Maggie
Paige
2006 The Groomsmen Sue
Love and Other Disasters Emily
"Jacks" Jackson
Happy Feet Gloria Voice role
The Dead Girl Krista
Kutcher
2008 The Ramen
Girl Abby Producer
credit
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs Colleen O'Hallahan (voice) Direct-to-video release
2009 Across the
Hall June
Deadline Alice Direct-to-video release
2010 Abandoned Mary Direct-to-video;
posthumous release
2014 Something
Wicked Susan Posthumous release (final film role)
Television
1991 Murphy Brown Frank's sister Episode:
"On Another Plane: Part 1"
Drexell's Class Brenda
Drexell 18 episodes 1991/2
1992 Kids
Incorporated Celeste Episode: "Lay
Off"
Parker Lewis Can't Lose Angie Episode: "The
Kiss"
1993 Almost Home Molly Morgan 13
episodes
Blossom Wendy Episode: "Blossom
in Paris: Part 1"
1994 Frasier Olsen Episode:
"Give Him the Chair!"
Party of Five Abby 2 episodes
Sister, Sister Sarah 6 episodes, 1994/5
1995 Boy Meets
World Trini Martin 2 episodes
The Marshal Lizzie
Roth Episode: "These Foolish Things"
seaQuest DSV Christine
VanCamp Episode: "Second Chance"
Murder One Diane "Dee-Dee" Carson Episode: "Chapter Nine"
1996 Double
Jeopardy Julia TV movie
Nash Bridges Carrie Episode: "Night
Train"
Clueless Jasmine Episode: "Driving Me Crazy"
1997–
2009 King of the
Hill Luanne Platter (voice)
Various characters (voice) 226
episodes
1998 David and
Lisa Lisa Movie
1999 The Devil's
Arithmetic Rivkah Showtime film
Pepper Ann Tank
the 8th grader (voice) 3 episodes,
1999/2000
2000 Common
Ground Dorothy Nelson Movie
2005 I'm Still
Here Voiceover Documentary about The Holocaust
2009 Tribute Cilla McGowan Movie
Megafault Dr.
Amy Lane Movie
2021 What
Happened, Brittany Murphy? Herself TV Posthumous release; archive footage
Video games
Year Title Voice role Notes
1995 My First
Encyclopedia Space floor guide Live action
2006 Marc Eckō's
Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure Karen
Light
Happy Feet Gloria
Music videos
Year Song Artist Notes
1995 "Here" Luscious Jackson
2001 "A Little Respect" Wheatus
2004 "Closest
Thing to Heaven" Tears for
Fears
2006 "Faster Kill Pussycat" Paul Oakenfold Also provided vocals on song
Stage work
1997 A View from the
Bridge Catherine Broadway
Awards and nominations
Awards Circuit Community Awards
Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1995 Best
Supporting Actress in a Supporting Role Clueless Nominated
Satellite Awards
Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2002 Satellite
Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Don't Say a Word Nominated
Spike Video Game
Awards
2006 Best
Supporting Female Performance Marc
Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure Nominated
Teen Choice Awards
2003 Choice Movie
Actress—Comedy Just Married Nominated [
Choice Lip Lock (shared with Ashton Kutcher) Nominated
Choice Movie Actress—Drama/Action-Adventure 8 Mile Nominated
Choice Lip Lock (shared with Eminem) Nominated
2005 Choice Movie
Actress—Drama Little Black Book Nominated
Young Artist Awards
1996 Best
Professional Actress/Singer — Nominated
Best Young Supporting Actress in a Feature Film Clueless Nominated
1999 Best
Performance in a TV Movie/Pilot/Mini-Series or Series—Leading Young Actress David and Lisa Nominated
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