HBO Max has ordered a documentary about the late actor Brittany Murphy. The two-part series hails from Blumhouse Television and Pyramid Productions.
The documentary will explore the life and death of Murphy, who was best known for the film “Clueless” and whose other credits included “8 Mile,” “Just Married” and the Fox animated comedy series “King of the Hill.” She died in 2009 at the age of 32. Though her death was ruled an accident and determined to be the result of a combination of pneumonia and the effects of several over-the-counter drugs she had taken, the death one year later of her husband has fueled speculation about her passing.
“Our Brittany Murphy documentary cuts through the tabloid noise with an elevated, nuanced depiction of a sensational story,” said Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president, non-fiction and live-action family programming, HBO Max. “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.”
Cynthia Hill (“Private Violence”), is directing the documentary. Executive producers include Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold, Mary Lisio for Blumhouse and James Buddy Day (“The Disappearance of Susan Cox Powell”).
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“Brittany Murphy was a rising star whose filmography includes movies that defined a generation,” said Mary Lisio, executive vice president, alternative and non-scripted programming, Blumhouse Television. “We thought her story warrants a deeper exploration, and examination into the environment that allowed her to become a victim of success. We’re thrilled to be partnering with HBO Max, and to collaborate with a director like Cynthia Hill who takes a nuanced approach to complex stories about women and contemporary issues.”
“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,” said Hill. “I think it’s important to celebrate Brittany’s talent as we struggle to explain the tragic circumstances of her and Simon’s deaths.”
