Parents' Guide to

What Happened, Brittany Murphy?

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Tabloid-like docu has cursing, rumors, and innuendo.

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What's the Story?

WHAT HAPPENED TO BRITTANY MURPHY? is a two-part docuseries that explores the life and untimely death of actor Brittany Murphy (Clueless). In December 2009 the 32-year-old died from what medical examiners concluded was pneumonia complicated by other medical conditions. Since then, her death has been shrouded in mystery, especially since her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, died in similar circumstances less than six months later. Archive images and interviews with family, friends, L.A. county officials, celebrity journalists, social media influencers, and people in the entertainment industry offer their insights into what she was like, why she died, and who they think bears responsibility for her death.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The docuseries offers a tabloid-like exposé of what the late Brittany Murphy's life was like and how she died, while openly vilifying her now-deceased husband. Interviews with officials associated with the case give some limited credibility to the overall production, and conversations with industry players like Clueless writer-director Amy Herckerling, actor-director Kathy Najimy, weighing in on the late actor's negotiation of Hollywood culture and expectations. But much of what's offered is sensationalized rumor and speculation thanks to footage of, and interviews with, social media influencers, and bloggers like Perez Hilton featured throughout. Despite few tidbits of new information, What Happened, Brittany Murphy? mostly exploits the scandal, but without the glamorous mystique that commonly surrounds the deaths of young female actors.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the difference between hard news and tabloids. What kinds of things do tabloid outlets do to get and report their information? Are all celebrity news outlets considered tabloids?

  • What are the producers of What Happened, Brittany Murphy? trying to accomplish with releasing this docuseries? Who benefits from revisiting this story?

TV Details

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