Brittany Murphy’s Death, 16 Years Later: Revisiting Her Sudden Passing and the Questions That Still Linger
- - Brittany Murphy’s Death, 16 Years Later: Revisiting Her Sudden Passing and the Questions That Still Linger
Jessica Sager, Christopher RudolphDecember 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM
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Brittany Murphy on December 3, 2009 in Los Angeles, California -
Brittany Murphy died at age 32 on Dec. 20, 2009
The actress' primary cause of death was listed as pneumonia, though other theories have been mentioned
Murphy was known for her roles in '90s classics like Clueless and Girl, Interrupted
Nearly 15 years after her breakout role as Tai in Clueless, Brittany Murphy was found responsive in her Los Angeles home on Dec. 20, 2009.
The actress' death at age 32 shocked Hollywood and the world. As the news of her passing spread, so did details about what might have caused her untimely death.
Murphy had been experiencing flu-like symptoms for some time but had not sought medical attention. But after struggling to breathe, she called out to her mom for help and was transported to a nearby a hospital, where she died soon after.
She had reached fame by showing off her dramatic chops in 8 Mile alongside Eminem and Girl, Interrupted with Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder. Murphy was also known for the rom-coms Little Black Book and Just Married.
Murphy even dabbled in music, working on an album in 2004 and getting featured on Paul Oakenfold's dance hit "Faster Kill Pussycat" two years later.
In 2007, she married Simon Monjack. Unfortunately, their union was short-lived: After Murphy died, Monjack passed away five months later on May 23, 2010.
Here is everything to know about Brittany Murphy's death and the legacy she left behind.
How did Brittany Murphy die?
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Brittany Murphy and Simon Monjack on February 4, 2008 in New York City
In the weeks leading up to Murphy's death, she was ill and experiencing flu-like symptoms, a coroner spokesperson told PEOPLE.
It went untreated and eventually developed into pneumonia, which then-deputy medical examiner Dr. Lisa Scheinin described as "severe" in the 2021 HBO docuseries What Happened, Brittany Murphy?, adding that Murphy was probably "walking around with this for some time."
"If she had gotten to a hospital early enough, you can detect pneumonia on the chest X-ray. It's very easy to do," the former medical examiner said. "They could have possibly started treatment. But she would've had a chance."
Dr. Scheinin performed Murphy's autopsy and listed pneumonia as the Uptown Girls star's primary cause of death, with iron-deficiency anemia and "multiple drug intoxication" from prescription and over-the-counter medication as contributing factors.
In What Happened, Brittany Murphy?, Dr. Scheinin stated that a blood count revealed Murphy was "very anemic," with a hemoglobin level of 3.0, compared to the normal range of 12 to 15.5.
"If she had had this test, let's say, a week or two before dying, and she had a result like this, any decent doctor would have her in the ER, hooked up to a transfusion as quick as they possibly could, because this is a life-threatening situation," she said.
Murphy had no indication of alcohol or illegal drugs in her system, but was taking prescription and over-the-counter medications, which now-retired coroner assistant chief Ed Winter previously told PEOPLE could have contributed to her death.
Monjack also told PEOPLE that Murphy was using "herbal remedies" for her symptoms, which they believed to be from laryngitis at the time.
"The anemia in itself would have been fatal, even without the pneumonia," Dr. Scheinin said in the docuseries. "The pneumonia was fatal, and then you're adding this to the equation. This could be the straw that breaks the camel's back."
When and where did Brittany Murphy die?
Alamy Brittany Murphy's home
Murphy died at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in L.A. around 10 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2009.
She had collapsed in her Hollywood home earlier that morning and been found by her mother. Murphy was 32 years old.
What were Brittany Murphy's last words?
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Brittany Murphy and mom Sharon in Westwood, California
In an interview with Larry King in February 2010, Monjack said that Murphy's last words to her mother, Sharon, were, "Mom, I'm dying; I love you."
Sharon told The Hollywood Reporter that before Murphy collapsed in her home, she cried out, "Mommy, I can't catch my breath. Help me."
How did Brittany Murphy's husband Simon Monjack die?
Mark Sullivan/WireImage Brittany Murphy and her husband Simon Monjack in Los Angeles
Just five months after Murphy's death, Monjack was found dead in their home at age 40.
The coroner's office reported that he died from the same causes as his late wife: pneumonia and anemia.
Winter said that they found prescription drugs in Monjack's system, but not at lethal levels.
What did Brittany Murphy's dad say about her death?
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Brittany Murphy on March 12, 2008 in Hollywood, California
After learning that Murphy and Monjack died from the same causes, Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, publicly alleged that Sharon murdered both Murphy and Monjack via poisoning.
"My theory is that the mother did the job on both of them," Bertolotti told PEOPLE in 2013, adding that Sharon's motive may have been financial, as Murphy left her estate entirely to her mother.
Sharon denied the claim soon after, and experts agreed that Bertolotti's accusations are likely unfounded and false.
Despite this, Bertolotti sent hair samples to be screened by an outside toxicologist. The tests alleged that Murphy had high levels of heavy metals in her hair. Experts, however, including Dr. Scheinin in What Happened, Brittany Murphy?, explained that the heavy metals weren't found in her hair roots and weren't in her bloodstream.
Furthermore, the former medical examiner noted that the chemicals likely originated from innocuous sources, such as hair dyes and hairspray.
What theories have Brittany Murphy's family and fans shared about her death?
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Actress Brittany Murphy on January 20, 2008 in Park City, Utah
Although Winter understood the confusion over Murphy's death, he said in What Happened, Brittany Murphy? that "the cause of death is not a mystery."
He continued, "The mystery is, why didn't somebody catch it? Had they taken her to the doctor a few days before, she'd still be alive. There are some people that, they're not satisfied. They think maybe there's more [to the story]. You just have to go on the facts."
Those close to Murphy at the time said she was battling "inner demons" in the years leading up to her death, including struggles with her self-image and allegations of drug use and eating disorders (both of which Murphy vehemently denied when she was alive).
Others speculated that Murphy and Monjack may have suffered from mold poisoning. Monjack's mother and former publicist, Ron Neal, both said in What Happened, Brittany Murphy? that they saw mold in Murphy and Monjack's home. However, Dr. Scheinin said that Murphy's autopsy didn't show any evidence of mold in her lungs or other organs.
What was the public reaction to Brittany Murphy's death?
Hollywood figures and fans were heartbroken after Murphy's untimely death.
Ashton Kutcher, who dated Murphy while shooting and promoting Just Married, posted on X, "[Today] the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out [to] Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon. See you on the other side kid."
Kathy Najimy, Murphy's costar in King of the Hill, shared about her grief in What Happened, Brittany Murphy?.
"All of us agree that one of the most painful things about this, other than losing a life way too soon and for such egregiously wrong reasons, is that Brittany was so wonderful," she said. "There was nobody else like her. She wasn't a Hollywood girl. A movie of her life is like, [she] walks into a room and almost every single person is thrilled that you're there, and when she leaves the room and goes home, she's the same freakin' person."
Murphy's 8 Mile costar Taryn Manning told PEOPLE in 2021 that the late actress was "free spirited, whimsical and full of laughter."
Clueless star Alicia Silverstone said shortly after Murphy's death, "I'm so saddened to hear this news. I loved working with Brittany. She was so talented, so warm and so sweet. I always felt connected to her as we shared a very special experience in our lives together. I feel love in my heart for her and hope she is at peace."
Even years after her death, in June 2024, Murphy's costar in Uptown Girls, Dakota Fanning, told Brit + Co that she still loved and missed her.
What legacy did Brittany Murphy leave behind?
Everett Brittany Murphy as Tai in 'Clueless' (1995)
Murphy has been largely remembered for being a strong and "genuine" actress.
Amy Heckerling, who wrote and directed Clueless, shared her first impression of Murphy in What Happened, Brittany Murphy?.
"We saw a lot of people for the part of Tai, and I felt like everybody was kind of acting it as opposed to just feeling it. And when Brittany came in, she was just genuine," Heckerling said. "She just felt like a sweet girl who kind of didn't fit in with the others and was trying and being nice and was lost in this world, and that's exactly what I was looking for."
Cynthia Hill, director of What Happened, Brittany Murphy?, told PEOPLE, "Everyone was so consistent when they would describe her. She was so generous, caring, and always thinking about everybody else; I think sometimes that gets forgotten because of all the mystery surrounding her death. She was loved by everyone."
And this is precisely how Murphy wanted to be remembered.
She told Drew Barrymore in a 2003 Interview magazine story that she wanted her legacy to be, "Exactly myself. And hopefully through my self-discovery others can gain self-discovery. I just hope to be an illumination of light and love and strength for people who need it—whenever they need it."
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