The Short Career of Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy certainly displays a colourful catalogue of acting roles, from classic 90’s shows (Clueless, Sister Sister) to Academy Award winning feature films (Girl, Interrupted). However, she has also been involved with some tremendous flops. Have you ever heard of a film that came out in 2009 called Deadline? Not a lot of people did, even though Murphy was joined on screen by the artistic, Thora Birch (American Beauty, 1999, Ghost World, 2001). The film had all the hallmarks of a quirky low budget psychological horror film, but unfortunately didn’t deliver. It’s debatable whether a bad script and poor execution is the culprit for hindering an actor’s ability. In this case, Murphy definitely didn’t deliver her finest work.
Murphy started acting at a fairly young age, her first role being in TV’s Blossom in 1990 when she was only thirteen years old. She then went on to become a part of the iconic Clueless (1995), playing the part of Tai.
In following years, she continued to play roles in which she depicted a character with certain mental troubles that have been argued to align with Murphy’s own life. These films included Don’t Say a Word (2001) where she starred alongside Michael Douglas, Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), 8 Mile (2002), and Sin City (2005). All of these films were not smash hits at the box office, but they all became highly critically acclaimed, and showed her versatility.
On the 20th December 2009, Brittany Murphy died at the young age of 32 in her Los Angeles home. The cause of her untimely death has been a subject of debate, it was finally deliberated that she died due to pneumonia and anaemia.
Although the large majority of Brittany Murphy’s films did not make a huge splash at the box office. The majority have been very highly acclaimed and certain films will definitely hold a place in cinema history, as well as my personal favourites list.
by Jennifer Lyne
This film became an instant classic, because different audiences were able to derive upon different meanings. To older audiences, the film could be read as satire due to the hilarity of a teenage girl thinking her life will end if she doesn't pass her driving test, or when her arch enemy decides to wear the same dress as her. However, to a younger audience of teenage girls, some of them found these to be very relatable problems that may have held a strong alignment to their own lives.
In Murphy’s early career, she often played side characters; however, her captivating performance sometimes stole the show. In 1999, she starred in Girl, Interrupted, playing the role of Daisy, who at first glance appears to only suffer from an eating disorder. It is slowly revealed through the film that she has far deeper mental troubles that stem from the sexual abuse of her father. This character was extremely well written, and truly gave Murphy the scope to show her ability as an actor. When reflecting on the film, Murphy’s performance is shockingly poignant due to the character’s eventual self-destruction.
