In Memory: Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy

In Memory: Brittany Murphy

1977-2009

By Kevin T. Rodriguez

Roger Ebert once said Brittany Murphy was a star in the making, and that all she needed was the right movie to realize that potential.  Though his remarks may have been true the world is likely not to know whether she had that potential.  For today, December 20, 2009, Brittany Murphy suffered cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.  Her death is shocking and sudden.  Like Michael Jackson she died young, at the ripe age of 32.  This was the time in her life where she was supposed to be at the top of her career, and yet that career never materialized.  Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be tough on the poor girl, but if she made a mark on the world of entertainment it likely isn’t on the big screen.  Most of her theatrical films were financially successful, but also terrible.

“Uptown Girls,” “Just Married,” “Good Boy!,” “Little Black Book,” and “The Groomsmen” are hardly movies I would consider entertaining, and the world has largely forgotten about them by now anyway.  No, her brightest moments on screen were in the supporting roles.  She will always be remembered by comic book fans for her small (but important) role as Shellie in the Robert Rodriguez adaptation of Frank Miller’s “Sin City.”  She will also be remembered for playing Eminem’s girlfriend in the critically acclaimed “8 Mile.”  It was these two films, I believe, that showed us we had a potential star in the making.  In a strange way though now that I look at her career, while those two movies will stand out as career highlights, she may be remembered mostly for her excellent voice work.

Murphy as Shellie in "Sin City."

In fact, I believe the role she will always be remembered for is for playing Hank Hill’s dumb niece Luanne Platter in the hit animated series “King of the Hill.”  It was a role she played throughout the entire 13 season run of the show, and Luanne was always a favorite among fans for her dimwittedness as well as her charming personality.  Mike Judge even said that if Murphy was not playing the role, Luanne would be a very different character.  Outside of acting she dabbled in singing a bit.  She recorded the hit club single “Faster Kill Pussycat” from the album “A Lively Mind.”  A few years later she would voice the character of Gloria in the Academy Award-winning film “Happy Feet,” where she showed off more of her musical abilities.

Brittany Murphy voiced Luanne Platter for 13 seasons.

If there is one thing I’m truly going to miss, it’s going to be her singing.  She showed more of a natural talent for singing then for acting, and I always wondered why she never pursued it more.  This also brings into question what’s going to happen with the Gloria character in the upcoming “Happy Feet 2.”  Brittany Murphy was never a big star, but she showed lots of potential to be one.  Sadly that potential will never be realized, but in a funny way she will be immortalized with her supporting roles that gained her the initial acclaim she received.  I think animation fans will miss her the most though, for her voice work and singing is where she excelled.  For these small but significant contributions, she will be missed.

Brittany Murphy MP3's

"Somebody To Love" by Brittany Murphy
"Boogie Wonderland" by Brittany Murphy
Faster Kill Pussycat [Featuring Brittany Murphy] (Album Version)