Amanda Fuller, best known for roles in Last Man Standing and Grey’s Anatomy, will channel her best Brittany Murphy for a Lifetime biopic about the late actress, set to air on Sept. 6.
It’s been five years since Murphy died at the age of 32. The Los Angeles coroner determined the actress died of natural causes as a result of pneumonia. Five months after her death, Murphy’s husband Simon Monjack died from the same illness.
The Brittany Murphy Story depicts the close relationship between Murphy and her mother, Sharon, portrayed by Sherilyn Fenn. The story focuses on their shared ambition for the young actress, which culminated with her role in the 1995 cult classic Clueless.
“Her desperation for approval and insecurity about her looks makes her personal life a disaster,” Lifetime said in a statement. “Unlike other stage moms, Sharon was always her daughter’s support system, but that enduring love wasn’t enough to save her sensitive Brittany from the vicissitudes of Hollywood life.”
The movie encompasses Murphy’s early life, rise to fame and continues after her death on Dec. 20, 2009, when her biological father, Angelo Bertolutti, claimed his daughter was poisoned.
A Brittany Murphy biopic is in the works. More details here –> http://t.co/fTJgSic9xb pic.twitter.com/t4yL1ayd8A
— PopCrush (@PopCrush) August 13, 2014
In November, Sharon published an open letter in The Hollywood Reporter, slamming her ex-husband for propagating rumors that her death was from anything other than from natural causes.
Brittany Murphy's death 'could have been prevented' if ambulance was called 24 hours earlier http://t.co/ZopSEeAHDn pic.twitter.com/QEKTVOHuKj
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) August 6, 2014
“We will never know for sure,” Sharon wrote. “However, we do know the Los Angeles County Coroner did extensive tests and found that she died of natural causes. And now she is a real living angel in heaven.”
It's official! @lifetimetv will air a Brittany Murphy biopic this Fall–> http://t.co/qDirvO8knS pic.twitter.com/12MbAsVNMV
— VH1 (@VH1) August 13, 2014
Murphy had minor roles on television before moving on to star in films, which included Clueless, Girl Interrupted and 8 Mile.
19 July, 1995, saw the release of Clueless, it starred Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy & Paul Rudd pic.twitter.com/RPgn9Npbqj
— On This Day In Film (@onthisdayinfilm) July 19, 2014
Image Amanda Fuller, Instagram