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 mongoose65

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I have to dosagree with those who say "who care how she died, let's just have some respect." Unfortuantely how young, priveleged, rich young people die prematurely is a valuable lesson to those who want to "make it" as performers. The lifestyle is not the craft. It destroys the craft and the creative process. It seems youg people didn't learn from James Dean, nor River Phoenix, nor Kurt Cobain and not Heath Ledger. It is really really sad that people think that the end goal is fame instead of creation. Oh well, keep watching reality TV and American Idol. Perfect for rotting minds and a rotting world.

By gemma stack

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Whoever wrote that article is a cold hearted twat, leave the poor girl alone!!

By tara

This is so sad to see such a young, beautiful, talented girl leave this earth so soon. I fell in love with her in the movie Just Married. This took me by suprise to hear of such a sudden death. Too bad once someone passes on all these rumors and alligations appear. Let her rest in peace and give her and her family the respect they deserve!

By jeanbird

Whatever the reason for her untimely death, it has to be said that her work as an actor was very memorable and on point. I saw the clip when she was on David Letterman and not only did she look stunning, but was really a funny, fun loving woman. She said , she didn't care about the money, but a sense of humor had to be in the mix. I was shocked by her death, yet my heart goes out to her family.

By jEREMY

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Why would any journalist quote Perez Hilton, slime of the earth? Give me a break!

By very frank

DRUGS AREN'T THE WAY !!!

By divr

Why is it so many people feel they know it all. They know someone is on drugs, etc. Unless you live in someone's shoes, you have no idea what goes on in their life. So let's just accept that fact and send our condolences to the family and pray for as she moves over to a non-judgemental side.

As many have said the media is relentless in attacking. And how many of them have even greater weaknesses than those they condemn in the sake of a "newsworthy story". And I dont even include that queer Perez Hilton in the list of media. First allow me to say, I acknowledge the rights of those who choose to live a non-straight, homosexual, whatever you want to term it style of life. I have close friends who have chosen that lifestyle. And even among them they use the term "queer" with Hilton. This guy is not just homosexual, he is flat out an oddball. And is proud of it. I hope this last attack with unbased information on Brittany Murphy will do him in.

By clint

How stupid and irresponsible of you to assume and post that she overdosed on cocaine. I thought she was a fun actress to watch. She was fresh. Regardless of whatever took her life, she was way too young to die.

By mayababe1

If Brittany was a diabetic, that would explain her acting "loopy". People are so quick to assume things.

By David

I loved Britney Murphy in everything i ever saw her in. Just Married with Ashton Kutcher was one of the funniest movies I've ever seen and of course it got no acclaim. Rent it if you want to laugh hard. She obviously had an eating disorder as she looks about 3o pounds lighter than she was in Clueless. I wonder how her management/agents could let such a beautiful talented and likeable person just wither away. Her husband should be run out of town for ruining her ruputation and dragging her down. We will miss you Britney. God bless!

By kevin

A little young for cardiac arrest???

By Anastasia Beaverhausen

First of all most of the gossipers are at best questionable themselves.

By Shakedown

Prescription drugs are an epidemic...as are eating disorders placed upon all women by the media...its horrific and only getting worse!

I doubt this has to do with a genetic heart defect...

RIP Brittany

By Bruce

For those of us old enough to remember...
Karen Carpenter died at age 32. She was rail thin
and suffering from anorexia nervosa when she died.
Friends and family had expressed concern for her appearance in the months leading up to her death.

History certainly repeats itself, doesn't it?

By waysideflower

I can imagine how difficult it is to get your head straight when slander is the act of the decade. It is so easy to throw stones when their lives are not in the spot light or they wish they were. Making a living or using one's spare time to spy and slander others? Seriously? Where is the moral scale? Try being concerned when someone is not acting in a healthy way. I wish for those falling off the tracks to find their good and bad, work with it & be ok with it. Those that throw stones are sick in their own way. You are fine as you ARE.

By smikemike

people sit around and think they know everything about how or why things happen, instead of just remembering the good things and honoring the dead. If it weren't for them some of us wouldn't have jobs. they are here to entertain us so our lives are not so mundane. We shouldn't be slandering their name or speculating anything, leave them to rest in peace. whether it was diabetic or not, it's none of our business what happened in their private life. Only that they made us happy while they were here. God giveth and god taketh away, it was her time to go home as untimely as it was on our plane of existence. God is the one who says who lives and dies. R.I.P. Ms. Murphy, you will be missed. My heart goes out to the family and friends.

By Bob

oj did it.

By Rorey

All I can say is she's gone at such a young age her life is over.At this point it is not important what she died of no matter it can,t be changed.What does matter is her parents are in a great deal of pain as well as her spouse and her friends.God Bless her family and give them strength to deal with their grief.

tiger did it

By Dharma

she looks like she had Graves Disease, her eyes, loss of weight and any walking that was hard on her or her behavior acted as if she were hyper, with this disease it makes the heart beat race very high, causing heart failure, heart attacks and strokes, i have know four people who died of this disease.

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