Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy, the actress who got her start in the sleeper hit "Clueless" and rose to stardom in "8 Mile" before her movie roles declined in recent years, died Sunday inLos Angeles of what appeared to be natural causes, a Los Angeles County coroner's official said. She was 32.

Murphy was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Sally Stewart said.

Murphy was transported to the hospital after the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call at 8 a.m. at the home she shared with her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, in theHollywood Hills.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Murphy apparently collapsed in the bathroom, and authorities were looking into her medical history.

An official cause of death may not be determined for some time, since toxicology tests will be required, but "it appears to be natural," Winter said. He said an autopsy was planned for Monday or Tuesday.

Winter said Murphy's family was cooperating with the coroner's investigation. Funeral arrangements have not been announced, he said.

Los Angeles police have opened an investigation into Murphy's death, Officer Norma Eisenman said. Detectives and coroner's officials were at Murphy and Monjack's home Sunday afternoon but did not talk to reporters. Paparazzi were camped outside the multistory home, located above the Sunset Strip.

Messages left for Murphy's manager and agent by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.

Neighbor Clare Staples said she saw firefighters working to resuscitate the actress Sunday morning. She said Murphy was on a stretcher and "looked as though she was dead at the scene."

Murphy's husband, wearing pajama bottoms and no shoes, appeared "dazed" as firefighters tried to save her, Staples said. "It's just tragic," she added.

TMZ.com first reported Murphy's death Sunday morning.

Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, said he learned of her death from his son, the actress's brother, and was stunned.

"She was just an absolute doll since she was born," Bertolotti said from his Branford, Fla., home. "Her personality was always outward. Everybody loved her — people that made movies with her, people on a cruise — they all loved her. She was just a regular gal."

He said he hadn't heard much about the circumstances of Murphy's death. Bertolotti divorced her mother when Murphy was young and hadn't seen Murphy in the past few years. He said he used to be in the mob and served prison time on federal drug charges.

"She was just talented," Bertolotti said. "And I loved her very much."

Meanwhile, Murphy's publicist, Nicole Perna, said in a statement: "In this time of sadness, the family thanks you for your love and support. It is their wish that you respect their privacy."

Born Nov. 10, 1977, in Atlanta, Murphy grew up in New Jersey and later moved with her mother to Los Angeles to pursue acting.

Her career started in the early 1990s with small roles in television series, commercials and movies. She is best known for parts in "Girl, Interrupted," "Clueless" and "8 Mile."

Her on-screen work had lessened of late, but Murphy's voice gave life to numerous animated characters, including Luanne Platter on more than 200 episodes of Fox's "King of the Hill" and Gloria the penguin in the 2006 feature "Happy Feet."

She is due to appear in Sylvester Stallone's upcoming film, "The Expendables," set for release next year.

Her role in "8 Mile" led to more recognition, Murphy told AP in 2003. "That changed a lot," she said. "That was the difference between people knowing my first and last name as opposed to not."

Murphy credited her mother, Sharon, with being a key to her success.

"When I asked my mom to move to California, she sold everything and moved out here for me," Murphy said. "I was really grateful to have grown up in an environment that was conducive to creating and didn't stifle any of that. She always believed in me."

She dated Ashton Kutcher, who costarred with Murphy in 2003's romantic comedy "Just Married."

Kutcher sent a message on Twitter Sunday morning about Murphy's death: "2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine," Kutcher wrote. "My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon."

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

• • Father: Angelo Bertolotti. an Italian American racketeering criminal; has had little contact with her father since her parents divorced

  • Mother: Sharon Murphy. Irish American and Eastern European descent; divorced Brittany s father when she was a baby

Significant Others

• • Companion: Ashton Kutcher. met while filming Just Married ; began dating in October 2002; split in April 2003

  • Companion: Jeff Kwatinetz. began dating in spring of 2003; engaged in January 2004; called off engagement May 2004, bringing their 13-month relationship to an end

  • Companion: Joe Macaluso. met while working on the film, Little Black Book ; engaged Christmas 2005; called of engagement August 2006

  • Husband: Simon Monjack. secretly wed at their home in Los Angeles, May 2007

  • Companion: Ashton Kutcher. romantically linked in October 2002

Education

• • John Burroughs High School, Burbank, California

  • Valley Professional School, Burbank, California

  • Verne Fowler School of Dance, Colonia, New Jersey

  • Herbert Hoover School, Edison, New Jersey

Milestones

• • 1987 Had title role in a regional theater production of the musical Really Rosie (date approximate)

  • 1991 TV series debut as a regular playing Dabney Coleman s daughter on Drexel s Class (Fox)

  • 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)

  • 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 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

  • 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