10 Things We Know About Lifetime’s The Brittany Murphy Story

By Portis Wasp

It’s been nearly five years since her death, but we are still mourning the loss of actress Brittany Murphy, who in her short time on Earth starred in some of our favourite films like Clueless, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Girl, Interrupted, Don’t Say a Word, 8 Mile and Sin City.

When we heard that Lifetime was filming a Brittany biopic, we were genuinely excited for another chance to celebrate one of Hollywood’s most talented young actresses, but then we watched the trailer... And we got kind of sad... 

Here are 10 things we know about Lifetime’s The Brittany Murphy Story, which, for better or worse, we won’t be able to stop ourselves from tuning in to watch.

1. The Brittany Murphy Story is a murder mystery

In the trailer for The Brittany Murphy Story, dramatic scenes showing Brittany being bombarded by paparazzi, popping prescription pills and practicing her duckface in the mirror are interspersed with even more dramatic captions such as “PARANOID”, “TARGETED”, “AFRAID FOR HER LIFE” and “THE MYSTERY”. 

Thankfully, the mystery as to why there was no budget left to shoot the actual film itself is quickly solved, as Kiesza’s melancholy cover of Haddaway's What Is Love plays in the background.

2. Brittany’s father thinks the film looks hideous

Because he has eyes.

3. Actress Amanda Fuller who plays Brittany only had two days to rehearse

Responding to early criticism that the film is s**t and that she doesn’t look anything like Brittany, actress Amanda Fuller says the film was made over just 16 days on a shoestring budget, and even though she would have loved to have had months of preparation to make herself really skinny so she could portray Brittany better, she only had two days to prepare before filming began.

4. In Amanda’s opinion, the film is ‘not’ a murder mystery

We’re not clear whether Amanda has watched the film already or whether she’ll have to wait until it airs on Lifetime like the rest of us, but we are beginning to feel really sorry for her.

5. Twin Peaks actress Sherilyn Fenn plays Sharon Murphy

Sherilyn Fenn is best known for playing Audrey Horne in David Lynch’s ’90s TV series Twin Peaks, which, as well as nabbing her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, ironically told a similar story of an FBI Agent investigating the murder of a young woman.  So with history kind of repeating itself, we have to ask; could playing Brittany’s mother in this film win Sherilyn an award?  No.  Not if Alicia has anything to do with it…

6. Alicia Silverstone’s hair cannot be trusted

If Lifetime insists on promoting their biopic as a murder mystery then we think whoever killed Brittany is hiding under Alicia Silverstone’s hair.  Is there any other logical explanation for her ill-advised hair situation?  AS IF Cher Horowitz would be caught dead in public looking like this bonehead!

7. In fact none of the wigs can be trusted

We counted 12 horrendous wigs in this one-minute long trailer and we can’t imagine Nicholas Cage entertaining any of them.

8. Brittany’s relationship with Ashton Kutcher will be explored…

Not long after they met on the set of romantic comedy Just Married, Brittany and Ashton began dating, and for a hot minute were considered one of Hollywood’s cutest couples!  So that’s something else that Lifetime will surely ruin for us – our fond memories. 

9. The film is two hours long

Which means it is in your best interest to invent a drinking game to help pass the time.  We’ve decided to take a shot every time the essence of Brittany Murphy is absent from a scene.

10. The Brittany Murphy Story premieres on Lifetime on 6th September…