Twelve years ago today, we lost one of the most promising young actresses of her generation, Brittany Murphy. A Hollywood vet, she was only thirty-two years old when she passed away, but she left behind a rich legacy. From her early days as a sidekick to Alicia Silverstone in Clueless, to some scene-stealing turns in director-to-video gems Drive (starring Mark Dacascos) and Phoenix (starring Ray Liotta) to her breakthrough roles in Girl, Interrupted and Don’t Say a Word, Murphy was an extremely versatile actress.
She also became one of the biggest rom-com stars of the 2000’s thanks to roles in hits like Just Married (opposite Ashton Kutcher), Uptown Girls, and Little Black Book. She also dipped into more serious fare with an acclaimed turn as Eminem’s love interest in 8 Mile, plus a role in Sin City. Her death led to many questions about how Hollywood casting practices put a ridiculous amount of pressure on young actresses, and the passing of her husband Simon Monjack a few months later led to more seedy speculation. We dig into her life and death in this instalment of We Remember.
We Remember focuses on celebrities we love who’ve had their ups and downs over the years. Often they’ve vanished from the limelight, and we wonder what happened to them. The series will also include tribute episodes, “We Remember” that focus on certain celebrities who have passed away young or in a strange manner, such as this edition focusing on Paul Walker, who may be gone, but will never, ever be forgotten.
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