HBO Max orders two-part Brittany Murphy docuseries

HBO Max has ordered a two-part documentary about late actor Brittany Murphy from Blumhouse Television and Pyramid Productions. The order marks the first for Blumhouse Television with HBO Max. Murphy passed away on December 20, 2009 at the age of 32

The documentary presents an in-depth, intimate character portrait exploring the life and career and mysterious circumstances surrounding the tragic death of 90’s actress and rising star, Brittany Murphy, who starred in Clueless, 8 Mile, Just Married and TV’s King of the Hill. The series will go beyond the conspiracy theories and headlines, featuring new interviews by those closest to Brittany and new archival footage. Murphy’s death was attributed to pneumonia and anemia but five months after her unexpected demise, her husband Simon Monjack was found dead in the house he shared with Murphy. At the time, the chief/spokesperson at the Los Angeles County Dept of Coroner stated that Simon also died from the same exact causes as his wife, namely pneumonia and anemia.

The series will be directed by Emmy-nominated Cynthia Hill (Private Violence), the Untitled Brittany Murphy project is executive produced by Emmy-winner Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold, Mary Lisio for Blumhouse and James Buddy Day (The Disappearance of Susan Cox Powell). The docuseries is produced by Blumhouse Television (The Jinx, Sharp Objects) and Pyramid Productions (Fall River produced with Blumhouse Television).

“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. I think it’s important to celebrate Brittany’s talent as we struggle to explain the tragic circumstances of her and Simon’s deaths,” said Hill.

“Our Brittany Murphy documentary cuts through the tabloid noise with an elevated, nuanced depiction of a sensational story. 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,”  says Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president, Non-Fiction and Live-Action Family Programming at HBO Max.

Mary Lisio, executive vice president of Alternative and Non-Scripted Programming for Blumhouse Television said, “Brittany Murphy was a rising star whose filmography includes movies that defined a generation. 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.” 

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