HBO Max is paying tribute to Brittany Murphy. A press release announced that the streamer has a two-part docuseries in the works about the late “Clueless” actress.
Directed by Cynthia Hill, the untitled project “presents an in-depth, intimate character portrait exploring the life and career and mysterious circumstances surrounding the tragic death of ’90s actress and rising star, Brittany Murphy. The series will go beyond the conspiracy theories and headlines, featuring new interviews by those closest to Brittany and new archival footage,” according to its synopsis.
After breaking out in Amy Heckerling’s beloved 1995 teen comedy “Clueless,” Murphy went on to appear in films such as “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” “Girl, Interrupted,” “Riding in Cars with Boys,” “8 Mile,” “Just Married,” “Uptown Girls,” and “Sin City.” She died of pneumonia in 2009 at the age of 32. Her husband, Simon Monjack, died less than a year later under similar circumstances.
“Our Brittany Murphy documentary cuts through the tabloid noise with an elevated, nuanced depiction of a sensational story. Crafting a grounded account of Brittany Murphy’s life struggles and sudden passing comes with great responsibility and we’ve partnered with a masterful creative team to produce a thoughtful examination of a tragedy that has long been cause for speculation,” said HBO Max’s Jennifer O’Connell.
Hill, who received an Emmy nod for her 2014 doc “Private Violence,” emphasized, “I agreed to do this film because I think it’s a shame that Brittany’s promising life and career has been eclipsed by the circumstances of her death. I think it’s important to celebrate Brittany’s talent as we struggle to explain the tragic circumstances of her and Simon’s deaths.”