Negative Press Dogged Brittany Murphy in Recent Years

By Marc Schneider Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:54AM

In recent memory, Brittany Murphy had been receiving press for her described "loopy" behavior, her husband and her thin frame. Movies? Not so much: her acting had been put on the back-burner. With the star's film career stalled, mentions of the actress on gossip sites usually used the words "crazy" and "difficult" rather than "talented."

She appeared thinner than usual at her final public event, when she walked the red carpet Dec. 3 at the opening of Tt Collection's Pop-Up shop in Los Angeles. Us Magazine quoted one blogger as saying her dress "hung to her skin and bones frame" at the event.

Two days before, she appeared "quite thin," "out of it" and with eyes "dilated" at the premiere of her latest film, 'Across the Hall,' according to Gawker's assessment of an interview she did with MaximoTV.com.

Perez Hilton bluntly asked if Murphy was "all hopped up on the crazy happy pills" at the premiere and said she was "lookin' a little Abdrool-y" -- a pet name he's given to Paula Abdul.

But besides the criticism tied to her appearance, Murphy had found herself in the headlines in recent months more for her husband. Simon Monjack (profiled here) landed in the hospital in late November after he fell ill on a plane due to unknown circumstances (possibly asthma). The 911 call described him as having "stopped breathing."

Monjack, a screenwriter, is also being blamed for Murphy's recent departure from the film, 'The Caller.' Contrary to prior reports that Murphy was fired for being difficult, Showbiz411's Roger Friedman is reporting that it was Monjack's erratic on-set behavior that led to her firing. Michael Z. Gordon, a producer who cast Murphy in the upcoming 'Shrinking Charlotte,' said he'd been warned about Monjack's antics on the set of 'The Caller.'

"'Monjack came on the set inebriated," Gordon said he'd been told. "The producers wanted to keep him away. Brittany of course defended him. And so she was let go."

Two weeks ago, 'Saturday Night Live' ran a skit lampooning Murphy, using 'The Caller' scandal and her apparent loopiness as the idea. The segment featured Abby Elliott playing a clearly out-of-it Murphy, who mistakenly thinks she's hosting the show again (Murphy helmed 'SNL' once, in 2002). NBC has since pulled the sketch from their site and Hulu.

Murphy's film career had been long-hampered by reports she was a difficult addition to any set. Blogs and tabloids were not the only ones accusing her of being a risk to casting directors.

In 2002, the New York Times used "difficult" to describe her. The New York Post went one step further in 2008, calling her "extremely difficult" for alleged demands including peanut-butter sandwiches. MSNBC said she was acting "erratic" at a 2004 press event for 'Uptown Girls' and The Wrap said she was "barely there" on the set of 'Something Wicked.'

The star's tragic death on Sunday has sadly only brought on more speculation about her health. TMZ is reporting the actress had experienced flu-like symptoms in recent days and that she had begun vomiting early Sunday. Sources to the site said no illegal drugs were found in Murphy's home, but it is apparent the actress was taking some prescription medications. After the 911 call, Murphy's mother Sharon told paramedics her daughter was diabetic.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, but the LA County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told the press Sunday evening that the tragedy was likely the result of natural causes.

Who Is Murphy's Husband? Friends React

Tags: brittany murphy, BrittanyMurphy

Comments

(201)

Monday 21 December

By American rose

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So, when an actor starts acting loopy, and the camera and world sees it, why doesn't that start a chain reaction by their agents and studios requiring that they get help before working, instead of allowing the paparazzi to ridicule people in their pain and exacerbating a serious situation?

By merle T Cornpone

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Because the people you just mentioned make money if the "less than optimum" clients work, too.

By dan

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rehab for diabetes??? didn't know it existed..

By PR

Because sadly, those people could care less about her as a human being. She is just a money making tool for agents, studios, etc. They would never admit she had a problem because that would damage her career. Of course now none of that matters...

By caramelosdos

YOU ARE DEAD ON. I COULD NOT AGREE MORE.
IT SEEMS THAT WHEN THESE STARS ARE DOWN AND OUT,
INSTEAD OF GETTING HELP, THEY GET STEPPED ON.

By Fatboyslim

This chick wasn't hopped-up on happy pills - she was hopped-up on a happy gel-dong.

By Joe

yes there is a diabetes rehab clinic it is called the "Joslyn Clinic" and is run by the Harvard Medical School. This clinic is world renowned.

By trixie

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dan, where does it say she was in rehab for diabetes? I read it more than twice, didn't see that.

By TragedyMilk

Perfectly said American rose.

Boy would this be a broke town if everyone had to subject to a drug test to get hired. Let's start with the paparazzi and stop the car accidents. I'd like to get to work in one piece.

By charmian

I don't care what people say about britney murphy, we all enjoyed the films she made, and she made everybody laugh, she was a beautiful person.

By marcella

I think you are right! actors are people who make money but they make it for a lot of people too. it does not matter if they are good, bad, sane or insane. they get squeezed by anyone until no breath is left in them. Poor little girl! She had the look of a deer caught in the headlight and I am sorry for her and her family.

Tuesday 22 December

By Cat

I agree with you wholeheartedly on that. And being hypoglycemic and my husband being diabetic, I know that we've seemed very out of it when our sugars were crashing. I bet that's why she was demanding peanut butter sandwiches, as that one report mentioned. I know that's what I use to get my sugar stabilized. Anway, you're right about people that know her and work with her and for her, helping isntead of standing by doing nothing and letting the papparzzi just ridicule the stars.

By cherry pie

so tru american rose

By Haley, ID

First! I liked her in the movie Elf and Yes Man. I really thought she could sing.

By MissYY

That wasn't Brittany Murphy in those movies. That was Zooey Deschanel.

By jereme

She wasn't in Elf, that was Zooey Deschanel

By Jackie

That was not her in Elf or in Yes Man

By Pizzt

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