Brittany Murphy was a Hollywood star unlike any other before her tragic death.
Born in November 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia, Brittany’s (full name Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack) parents, Sharon Murphy and Angelo Bertolotti split when she was 2 years old. She became interested in acting after she and her mother moved to New Jersey.
Murphy got her big break on the sitcom Drexell’s Class before going on to appear in critically and commercially acclaimed films such as Clueless, Girl, Interrupted, 8 Mile and Uptown Girls. After two failed engagements, she tied the knot with Simon Monjack in 2007.
Murphy unexpectedly died at age 32 in December 2009, sending shock waves through the entertainment industry. Her death was ruled an accident, with the official cause cited as pneumonia, anemia and prescription drug intoxication.
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The mystery of why Murphy seemingly didn’t seek out medical treatment is what Dr. Lisa Scheinin, who performed the actress’ autopsy, thinks continues to hold peoples’ interest. “I think that’s why people just don’t let it go,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in December 2024. “A lot of times, when a celebrity dies, there’s an initial flurry of interest and then it just fades away.”
Makeup artist Trista Jordan, who worked with the actress on the film Something Wicked, told Us: “Brittany left an impact on a lot of people’s hearts. She truly was a sweetheart, but I don’t think she surrounded herself with the right people. I think if she hadn’t met Simon Monjack, she’d probably still be alive.”
Scroll down for a look at Murphy’s biggest personal and professional moments:
1991
Murphy appeared on a 1991 episode of Murphy Brown before booking her breakout role as Brenda Drexell on Drexell’s Class. The series ran for one season from 1991 to 1992, after which she continued to book TV gigs on shows such as Almost Home, Frasier, Party of Five and Sister, Sister.
1995
Murphy became a teen icon for her role as Tai Frasier in Clueless, a modern-day interpretation of the Jane Austen novel Emma.
1997
Murphy famously voiced Luanne Platter on the long-running animated series King of the Hill. She continued to lend her voice to the cartoon comedy up until her death.
1999
Murphy starred alongside Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Elisabeth Moss, Clea DuVall and Jared Leto in the drama Girl, Interrupted. She portrayed Daisy, a young woman struggling with OCD and self-harm.
2002
Murphy began dating Ashton Kutcher after meeting on the set of their movie Just Married. Their short-live romance fizzled out in 2003, the same year as the film’s release.
The same year she entered her relationship with Kutcher, she starred as rapper Eminem’s love interest in the semi-autobiographical film 8 Mile.
2003
Another of Murphy’s most memorable roles was that of Molly in Uptown Girls. The film follows Molly as she forms a sweet bond with a young girl named Ray (Dakota Fanning) after taking a job as her nanny.
2004
Murphy was briefly engaged to talent manager Jeff Kwatinetz in 2004. The engagement reportedly only lasted for four months, but the two remained friends after their split.
2005
Murphy followed up her engagement to Kwatinetz by accepting a proposal from actor Joe Macaluso. Similar to her previous romance, the duo’s relationship didn’t last long as they reportedly called it quits in 2006.
2006
Murphy first met Monjack when she was 17 years old, but they pair didn’t begin dating until 2006.
2007
Four months into their relationship, Murphy and Monjack secretly wed in a quiet Jewish ceremony.
2009
Murphy died on December 20, 2009. She was transported to a Los Angeles hospital after not seeking out medical treatment for flu-like symptoms. Brittany’s official cause of death was ruled as severe anemia and pneumonia.
“Any decent doctor would have her in the ER, hooked up to a transfusion as quick as they possibly could, because this is a life-threatening situation,” Scheinin stated in the October 2021 HBO documentary What Happened, Brittany Murphy?. “The anemia in itself would’ve been fatal even without the pneumonia. The pneumonia was fatal, and then you’re adding this to the equation.”
In a bizarre coincidence, Monjack also died of pneumonia less than one year later at age 40. Given the couple died of the same cause, rumors speculated about what could have caused their health issues. Brittany’s father, Bertolotti, accused her mother, Sharon, of poisoning Brittany and Monjack (which she denied), while others have speculated the couple suffered from mold poisoning in their home. (Scheinin stated in the HBO documentary that no evidence of mold was found in Brittany’s lungs.)
In the What Happen, Brittany Murphy? film, retired Coroner Asst. Chief Ed Winter said that Brittany’s cause of death is not the “mystery” in the case, but rather why her health issues weren’t caught sooner. “Had they taken her to the doctor a few days before, she’d still be alive. There are some people that, they’re not satisfied,” he stated. “They think maybe there’s more [to the story]. You just have to go on the facts.”
2014
Her final film, Something Wicked, was released four years after her death.