Brittany Murphy

American actress and singerTemplate:SHORTDESC:American actress and singer[[Category:**Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Pagetype/config' not found.**s with short description]]Template:Pp-semi-indef

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**Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack** (née **Bertolotti**; November 10, 1977 – December 20, 2009) was an American actress and singer. 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* (1997–2009). Her final film, *Something Wicked*, was released in April 2014. In May of 2020 the death of Murphy was the subject of an ID Discovery documentary.

In December 2009, Murphy died of pneumonia at the age of 32.

## 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. 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 Eastern European 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

 File:Brittany Murphy Happy Feet Premiere 2006.jpg
### Acting

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*. 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 *Sister, Sister*, *Party of Five*, and *Boy Meets World*.

Murphy's breakthrough role was in her second feature film, the teen comedy *Clueless* (1995), directed by Amy Heckerling, which developed a cult following. 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".

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 [where] 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

 File:Brittanymurphynavy.jpg
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*Template:'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

In late 2002, Murphy began dating Ashton Kutcher, her co-star in *Just Married*. Once engaged to talent manager Jeff Kwatinetz, Murphy became engaged to Joe Macaluso in December 2005, a production assistant she met while working on the film *Little Black Book*. In August 2006, they ended their engagement. In May 2007, Murphy married British screenwriter Simon Monjack in a private Jewish ceremony in Los Angeles. For the last three-and-a-half years of her life, Murphy, her mother and Monjack lived together in the same house.

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." At this point, she had recently signed as the spokesmodel for Jordache jeans.

## Death

At 8:00 am 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 after going into cardiac arrest.

Shortly after her death, Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told the Associated Press: "It appears to be natural."
An autopsy was performed the day after she died. Her death certificate listed the cause of death as "deferred". On February 4, 2010, the Los Angeles County coroner stated that the primary cause of Murphy's death was pneumonia, with secondary factors of iron-deficiency anemia and multiple drug intoxication. On February 25, 2010, the coroner released a report stating that Murphy had been taking a range of over-the-counter and prescription medications, 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 the drugs were legal and the death was ruled to be an accident, but the report observed: "the possible adverse physiological effects of elevated levels of these medications cannot be discounted, especially in her weakened state."

 File:Brittany Murphy Grave.JPG
On December 24, 2009, Murphy was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.

On May 23, 2010, her widower Simon Monjack was found dead at the same Hollywood Hills residence. In July 2010, Los Angeles Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter stated that the cause of his death was 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 Ed Winter, who stated that there were "no indicators" that mold was a factor. Murphy's mother Sharon 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.

On January 11, 2012, her 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 on July 19, 2012, after Bertolotti failed to attend two separate hearings.

In November 2013, Angelo Bertolotti claimed that a toxicology report showed that deliberate poisoning by heavy metals, including antimony and barium, was a possible cause of Brittany Murphy's death. Sharon Murphy described the claim as "a smear".

### 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[update]Template:Dated maintenance category, 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.

## Filmography

### Video games

 2006

Music videos

## Awards and nominations

Template:Unreferenced section

 2002

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Cold medicines contributed to Brittany Murphy's death, coroner says", CNN (February 25, 2010). Retrieved on February 26, 2010.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Brittany Murphy Death Certificate" (PDF). Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140903213751/http://images.eonline.com/static/news/pdf/BrittanyMurphyDeathCertificate.pdf. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Travers, Peter (November 8, 2002). "8 Mile: Movie Reviews". *Rolling Stone*. https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/8-mile-20021108. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
4. ↑ "Actress Brittany Murphy dead at 32", CNN (December 20, 2009). Retrieved on December 20, 2009.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Wheaton, Sarah (December 21, 2009). "Brittany Murphy, Actress in 'Clueless,' Dies at 32", *The New York Times*. Retrieved on December 20, 2009.
6. ↑ Salamone, Gina (December 21, 2009). "Brittany Murphy's father Angelo Bertolotti 'mystified' over actress' tragic death", *Daily News* (New York). Retrieved on April 7, 2011.
7. ↑ Rochlin, Margy (September 30, 2001). "Film; A Young Trouper Who Plays Crazy as Well as Sexy", *The New York Times*, p. 2. Retrieved on December 20, 2009.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Actress Brittany Murphy dies in LA at age 32", Associated Press, The Herald-Dispatch (December 20, 2009). Retrieved on July 21, 2013.
9. ↑ "Brittany Murphy Dead: Dies At Just 32", *The Huffington Post* (December 20, 2009). Retrieved on March 5, 2010.
10. ↑ Wollman Rusoff, Jane (October 18, 2001). "The rising actress switches gears and goes from crazy to sexy for Riding in Cars With Boys", Mr. Showbiz. Retrieved on November 18, 2009. Archived from the original on April 12, 2009.
11. ↑ McGoldrick, Debbie. "Brittany: I'm Irish!", *Irish Voice*. Retrieved on November 18, 2009.
12. ↑ Horowitz, Josh (December 28, 2006). "Role Call: Brittany Murphy On Playing Prostitute, Penguin", MTV. Retrieved on December 20, 2009.
13. ↑ "Uptown Brittany, Effervescent Actress Finds Herself Cast As A Tabloid Darling While Her Career Moves into Fast Lane", *San Jose Mercury News* (August 11, 2003). Retrieved on December 20, 2009. ; "A non-denominational Christian, she wears a cross around her neck and has *my whole life —I feel more comfortable with a cross.*"
14. ↑ What Went Wrong With Brittany Murphy?: Was It Drugs, Anorexia or Her 'Shady' Husband" That Led to Her Death at 32? Luchina Fisher. ABC News. December 22, 2009.
15. ↑ "Mentor remembers Brittany Murphy as 'talented child'", CNN (December 21, 2009). Retrieved on April 27, 2010.
16. ↑ The Broadway League (November 10, 1977). "The official source for Broadway Information". IBDB. http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=70024. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
17. ↑ *King of the Hill* awards Internet Movie Database
18. ↑ "Little Black Book", *Chicago Sun-Times* (August 6, 2004). Retrieved on March 5, 2010.
19. ↑ Template:Cite book
Cady, Jennifer (December 23, 2009). "Preview Brittany Murphy's Final Film, Abandoned". E!. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b159407\_preview\_brittany\_murphys\_final\_film.html. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
21. ↑ Angus, Kat (December 1, 2009). "Twilight New Moon actress replaces Brittany Murphy, who 'was not' fired from movie Template:Webarchive". *The Vancouver Sun*. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Carroll, Larry (December 21, 2009). "Brittany Murphy: The Music Career That Might Have Been – MTV Movie News". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1628620/brittany-murphy-music-career-that-might-have-been.jhtml. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
23. ↑ [[[:Template:BillboardURLbyName]] "Paul Oakenfold Album & Song Chart History"]. *Billboard*. Template:BillboardURLbyName. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
24. ↑ ""Faster Kill Pussycat" The Official Charts Company page". Official Charts Company. https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Man\_slash\_Woman.
25. ↑ Miller, Samantha (January 20, 2003). "Baby, Let's Play Married", *People*. Retrieved on September 1, 2009.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Ingrassia, Lisa (August 22, 2006). "Brittany Murphy, Fiancé End Engagement". *People*. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1254881,00.html. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
27. ↑ Fleeman, Mike (August 5, 2007). "Brittany Murphy Marries Writer-Director". *People*. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20037875,00.html.
28. ↑ Lorenzo Benet, PEOPLE.com (December 22, 2009). "Brittany Murphy's husband mourns", CNN. Retrieved on March 5, 2010.
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 "*Clueless* actress Brittany Murphy dies after collapsing in shower; death 'appears to be natural'", *Daily News* (New York) (December 20, 2009). Retrieved on July 24, 2010.
30. ↑ "Brittany Murphy, 32, dies of cardiac arrest". *Entertainment Weekly*. http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/12/20/brittany-murphy-dies-of-cardiac-arrest-report/. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "INSIDE STORY: Brittany Murphy's 'Inner Demons'". *People*. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20332146,00.html. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
32. ↑ "Brittany Murphy, new face of Jordache". Today.com. July 25, 2005. https://www.today.com/popculture/brittany-murphy-new-face-jordache-wbna8701300. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Helfand, Duke (December 20, 2009). "Actress Brittany Murphy dead at 32", *Los Angeles Times*. Retrieved on December 20, 2009.
34. ↑ Brittany Murphy's death certificate, from the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, via AutopsyFiles.org
35. ↑ "Brittany Murphy's family pay tribute to 'shining star'", BBC News (December 21, 2009). Retrieved on December 21, 2009.
36. ↑ Davies, Rebecca (December 21, 2009). "Brittany Murphy death was "natural"". *Digital Spy*. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a192243/brittany-murphy-death-was-natural.html. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
37. ↑ "L.A. Coroner Releases Brittany Murphy's Death Certificate" Template:Webarchive *US Magazine*. December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
38. ↑ Dillon, Nancy (December 24, 2009). "Brittany Murphy's family, friends gather for somber Christmas Eve funeral", *Daily News*.
39. ↑ Blankstein, Andrew (May 23, 2010). "Husband of actress Brittany Murphy found dead at home", *Los Angeles Times*. Retrieved on May 24, 2010.
40. ↑ "Coroner finds Simon Monjack's death was similar to Brittany Murphy's", CNN (July 22, 2010). Retrieved on July 28, 2010.
41. ↑ "Coroner: No indication mold killed Brittany Murphy or Simon Monjack", CNN (July 26, 2010). Retrieved on April 9, 2011.
42. ↑ "Brittany Murphy's Mother Calls Toxic Mold Reports 'Absurd'", *People* (July 26, 2010).
43. ↑ Alex Ben Block (December 19, 2011). "Shocking New Brittany Murphy Claim Says Toxic Mold May Have Killed Star", *The Hollywood Reporter*. Retrieved on June 12, 2012. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012.
"Complaint for release of specimens of Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack to plaintiff for independent testing" (PDF). http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/283232/actress-brittany-murphys-father-files-lawsuit.pdf.
"Brittany Murphy's father sues coroner over death investigation", *Los Angeles Times* (January 13, 2012).
46. ↑ "Brittany Murphy coroner lawsuit dismissed". http://abc7.com/archive/8742773/.
47. ↑ "Brittany Murphy's mom rejects claim her daughter was poisoned", *Los Angeles Times* (November 25, 2013).
48. ↑ "Brittany Murphy's mother: 'Poisoning claims a smear'", *The Guardian* (November 26, 2013).
49. ↑ "Remembering Brittany Murphy". http://onthesetofnewyork.com/10112015.html.
50. ↑ "Brittany Murphy Foundation". Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100412125400/http://www.brittanymurphyfoundation.org/. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
51. ↑ "Monjack Seeking $1,000 Donations to Attend Brittany Murphy Event". *Us Weekly*. http://www.usmagazine.com/celebritynews/news/simon-monjack-seeking-donations-to-attend-brittany-murphy-201022?page=2. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
52. ↑ Brittany Murphy Foundation 'not a charity', news.com.au. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
53. ↑ Angelo Bertolotti launches Brittany Murphy Foundation, [1]. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
54. ↑ "Brittany Murphy Foundation - GuideStar Profile". https://www.guidestar.org/profile/27-1723900.
55. ↑ The Ramen Girl, NYTimes.com, retrieved 11.19.13
56. ↑ "Brittany Murphy Theatre Credits". BroadwayWorld.com. http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Brittany-Murphy/. Retrieved November 18, 2013.

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