Brittany Murphy (Actor)

About Brittany Murphy

A petite attractive performer with large expressive eyes, energetic and versatile actress Brittany Murphy shot to stardom as Tai, the fashion-challenged brunette transfer student whom Alicia Silverstone's Cher takes under her wing, in the hit comedy "Clueless" (1995). The New Jersey native was already an established veteran, though, having begun her performing career at age two. Murphy was singing and dancing as the lead in a regional production of "Really Rosie" at age nine and had relocated to L.A. by age 13. After making her primetime TV debut as the sister of Joe Regalbuto's Frank Fontana on a 1991 episode of CBS' "Murphy Brown", the rising talent landed the role of Dabney Coleman's daughter on the short-lived Fox sitcom "Drexel's Class" (1991-92). She quickly rebounded as Perry King's daughter who is jealous of her new stepsister in the spin-off sitcom "Almost Home" (ABC, 1993), although the show only lasted 13 episodes. Murphy lent her persona to the recurring role of Sarah, a friend and classmate of twins Tia and Tamara, on "Sister, Sister" during its 1994-1995 run on ABC.

"Clueless" propelled the actress into a different realm. As the dumpy Easterner Tai, Murphy proved her comic mettle and began to get roles in independent films, many of which debuted on premium cable channels like HBO (i.e., "Freeway" 1996, "Phoenix" 1998). Returning to NYC, she won her fair share of critical praise as the niece of a dockworker (Anthony LaPaglia) who has more than avuncular interests in her in the acclaimed, award-winning 1997 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge". Murphy's profile rose higher when she was tapped to co-star opposite Lukas Haas in the small remake of "David and Lisa" (ABC, 1998), produced under the "Oprah Winfrey Presents" banner. She then co-starred as one of the pageant aspirants in the mock documentary "Drop Dead Gorgeous" (1999).

As a suicidal teen fixated on rotisserie chicken in "Girl, Interrupted", Murphy gave a highly memorable performance, which she followed up with skilled performances as vastly different characters, counting among her 2000 credits a turn as a discharged naval officer suspected of being a lesbian in the 1950s-set segment of Showtime drama "Common Ground", a performance as a charming barfly in the independent "Trixie" and a virginal girl targeted by a serial killer in the teen slasher pic "Cherry Falls". Her supporting role as the loveable town floozy in "Summer Catch" (2001) was one of the disappointing film's few high points, while she held her own in a challenging turn as a disturbed young woman who holds a valuable secret in her damaged mind in the thriller "Don't Say a Word" that same year. Her performance--and her memorable "I'll never tell" line featured in the film's ad campaign--finally seemed to make Murphy a recognizable star. She also excelled with a featured role as a waitress in the ensemble of the Edward Burns romantic comedy "Sidewalks of New York" paired Murphy with Stanley Tucci and David Krumholtz and perfectly complemented Drew Barrymore in the inspiring fact-based comedy-drama "Riding in Cars With Boys" (both 2001).

Though her starring role in the proposed Gary Fleder-directed Janis Joplin biopic was shelved due to music rights difficulties, Murphy recovered with a role in the romantic comedy "You Stupid Man", directed by Brian Burns (brother of Edward), a featured turn as a amphetamine addict paired with Mickey Rourke in the black comedy "Spun" directed by famed Madonna video helmer Jonas Ackerlund and Curtis Hanson's "8 Mile" (2002), which starred and was loosely based upon the life of successful white rapper Eminem (all lensed 2001). She then started the new year off by starring, with then-boyfriend Ashton Kutcher, in the romantic comedy feature "Just Married," which failed to capitalize on the couple's loopy real-life chemistry in favor of shrieking histrionics, and played on-screen the drug addicted girlfriend to Mickey Rourke's character in the independent feature "Spun" (both in 2003). That same year Murphy--whose image slowly changed from wild child character actress to sophisticated starlet--also tackled her first full-blown leading lady capacity in the light comedy "Uptown Girls," starring as a rock star's hard-partying, suddenly cash-strapped daughter who is forced to grow up when she becomes the caretacker of a wealthy, willfull and ignored little girl (Dakota Fanning). Murphy continued to land headliner roles, cast as the lead in the lightweight romantic comedy "Little Black Book" (2004) as a talk show producer who delves into her commitment-phobe boyfriend's Palm Pilot and makes some disturbing discoveries about his romantic past; the actress added an admirable, highly watchable spark to the otherwise leaden affair.

Next Murphy appeared as Shellie, the strip club waitress with a soft spot for the wrong guys, in director Robert Rodriguez and writer-artist Frank Miller's visually arresting adaptation of Miller's crime noir comic book series "Sin City" (2005). Murphy's character helped tie the various story arcs together by appearing in multiple sequences, most notably in "The Big Fat Kill" where her character is terrorized by the corrupt Jackie Boy (Benicio del Toro) before being saved by the tough but noble Dwight (Clive Owen).

Despite her onscreen capabilities, the actress' longest running and perhaps most widely appreciated work is her turn as the vocal talent behind aspiring beautician Luanne on the Fox animated series "King of the Hill" (1997- ). She also provided the voice of the fidgety greyhound Nellie in the kid flick "Good Boy!" (2003).

Family

Name:	Relation:	Notes:
Simon Monjack	husband	secretly wed at their home in Los Angeles, May 2007
Sharon Murphy	mother	Irish American and Eastern European descent; divorced Brittany's father when she was a baby
Angelo Bertolotti	father	an Italian American racketeering criminal; has had little contact with her father since her parents divorced

Companions

Name:	Relation:	Notes:
Joe Macaluso	companion	met while working on the film, "Little Black Book"; engaged Christmas 2005; called of engagement August 2006
Ashton Kutcher	companion	met while filming "Just Married"; began dating in October 2002; split in April 2003
Jeff Kwatinetz	companion	began dating in spring of 2003; engaged in January 2004; called off engagement May 2004, bringing their 13-month relationship to an end

Milestones

	Began acting in TV commercials
	Began performing career at age two
	Born and raised in New Jersey
	Co-starred with Anthony LaPaglia and Allison Janney in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge"
	Featured in the romantic comedy "You Stupid Man" (lensed 2001), directed by Burns' brother Brian
	Played recurring part of Sarah, a friend of the twins, in "Sister, Sister" (ABC)
	Signed to portray Janis Joplin in a biopic to be directed by Gary Fleder; film cancelled due to music rights clearance problems
1987	Had title role in a regional theater production of the musical "Really Rosie" (date approximate)
1991	At age 13, moved to L.A. (date approximate)
1991	Primetime TV debut as Frank's sister in an episode of "Murphy Brown" (CBS)
1991 - 1992	TV series debut as a regular playing Dabney Coleman's daughter on "Drexel's Class" (Fox)
1992	Briefly performed with the singing group Blessed With Soul, along with Haylie Johnson and Eric Balfour
1993	Film debut in "Family Prayers"
1993	Had regular role of Molly on the ABC sitcom "Almost Home"
1994	Acted on an episode of the Fox drama "Party of Five"
1995	Breakthrough screen role as the loopy Tai, friend and protege of Alicia Silverstone's Cher, in "Clueless"
1995	Guested on episodes of "seaQuest 2032" (NBC), "Boy Meets World" and "The Marshal" (both ABC)
1996	Acted in the Little Red Riding Hood update "Freeway" (aired on HBO)
1996	Featured in the CBS TV-movie "Double Jeopardy"
1997	Featured in "The Prophecy II: Ashtown" and "Drive" (debuted on HBO in lieu of theatrical release)
1997 - 0	Provided the voice of Luanne on the animated series "King of the Hill" (Fox)
1998	Acted in the little-seen independents "Zach and Reba" and "Bongwater"
1998	Appeared opposite Ray Liotta in "Phoenix"; film premiered on HBO before receiving a theatrical release; also featured Anthony LaPaglia
1998	Co-starred with Lukas Haas in the TV remake of "David and Lisa", a broadcast produced under the "Oprah Winfrey Presents" banner
1999	Co-starred as a mental hospital patient in "Girl, Interrupted"
1999	Featured as one of the contests in a beauty pageant in the film comedy "Drop Dead Gorgeous"
2000	Featured as a charming barfly in "Trixie" and a virginal teen stalked by a killer in "Cherry Falls"
2000	Played a naval officer discharged after she is found in a gay bar in the 1950s-set segement of the gay-themed Showtime TV-movie "Common Ground"
2001	Played Drew Barrymore's best friend in the biopic "Riding in Cars With Boys"
2001	Played a likable local floozy in the comedy "Summer Catch"
2001	Starred as a young woman whose disturbed mind holds a secret in "Don't Say a Word", directed by Gary Fleder
2001	Was part of the ensemble cast of the romantic comedy "Sidewalks of New York", directed by Edward Burns
2002	Cast in "8 Mile", loosely based on rap singer Eminem's life story, directed by Curtis Hanson
2003	Co-starred as a nanny to a bratty eight-year-old in "Uptown Girls"
2003	Played Mickey Rourke's amphetamine-addled girlfriend in Jonas Ackerlund's black comedy "Spun"
2003	Starred opposite Ashton Kutcher as a newlywed couple in "Just Married"
2004	Featured in the romantic comedy "Little Black Book"
2005	Starred in "Sin City" the adaptation of comic book icon Frank Miller's uber-noir series of grapic novels; co-directed by Miller and Robert Rodriguez
2006	Cast in the Australian-produced computer-animated film, "Happy Feet"

Notes

"... I'm an entertainer. I was born one, I'll always be one, and whenever I have the chance, whether it's on the street corner or on a motion picture set, the camera or maybe a microphone will be my way to get through to people. If I can make them feel, then I think that my work is productive."---Murphy quoted in Interview December/January 2003

"Hey, right now, I'm in the college of life. I'm only 21 and I don't know who the heck I am yet. We're all just molecules. Anyway, the movie industry's a great boot camp, you learn so much, going from one country to another, one story to another. I relish the absurdity."---Murphy to Movieline, May 1999.

"I don't even take myself seriously, how could I possibly take Hollywood seriously? I take business seriously. I take work very seriously and telling the truth in my job and professionalism. But I don't think (celebrity) is supposed to be taken seriously really."---Murphy to People, August 4, 2004.

"I want to make the world a better place, which I know sounds pretensions, but it’s true and that’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I didn’t know what medium it would in, acting, music whatever, so I got out of Jersey and started acting... "---Murphy as quoted to Paul Fischer of movie-fever.com July 2003

"I would compare her to Edward Norton, they're both incredibly smart, highly gifted actors who are very instinctual. I don't think I've ever seen her repeat herself on-screen. And like Edward Norton, she can play a lead with ease, but also do great character work."---Director Gary Fleder on Brittany Murphy, quoted in Los Angeles Times, September 9, 2001.

"I would never have this career without my mom! I would have ended up fleeing New Jersey and moving to New York City. I upped and moved HER, and she was willing to support me. No one can ever say anything bad about my mom. She's amazing."---Brittany Murphy quoted in Daily News, May 10, 1998.

"I'm not a cerebral actor, I'm visceral. When I read a script, the character will come from the page, into my hand, into my arm, and then into my body. All of a sudden, I know I'm to be this person from three months. It's a fantastic feeling."---Murphy in Movieline, March 2001.

"I'm trying to figure out the trick of working to live as opposed to living to work, but I don't know if I've quite stumbled upon it just yet."---Murphy to The New York Times, September 30, 2001.

"My family was so embarrassed by it, they were begging me to shut up when the neighbors were around and to speak higher so it did not sounds so demonically possessed."---Murphy on her distinctive voice US Weekly, October 7, 2002.

"To be similar to Luanne would be such an honor. She's so pure and lovely, and I would hope in my life that I could be as pure as Luanne is. On a lighter note, I am a complete and utterly frustrated hairdresser. That's a big dream of mine."---Murphy on Luanne, her character on the animated sitcom "King of the Hill" as quoted in USA Today, July 6, 2001.

"What is typical? I don't really ever want to go in that direction, but I don't have a game plan either. I know that I get a kick out of playing people who are different. When I read something, I go on my instincts. It just feels right. That's how it's been and I love being these people. I've been a waitress. I've been a rock star. I've had a grain of salt's experience at being in the Holocaust. I get to travel all over the place. Most people don't get the chance to do what they have a passion for. It's an amazing job. I'm very blessed. The major thing was that I started when I was 13, and I wanted to do this so bad. When I came to L.A., the words 'logistics' or 'competition' meant nothing to me. I went through it with blinders on and never thought of the other things that I've seen cloud other people's minds. A lot of times those things get in the way."---Murphy quoted in Flaunt, June-July 2000.