Drugs, Eating Disorder Didn't Kill Brittany Murphy, Say Mom, Husband
Credit: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Wednesday marks the one-month anniversary of Brittany Murphy's shocking death at age 32 -- and the late actress' mother and husband insist that natural causes, not prescription drugs or an eating disorder, brought about her untimely end.
In a new interview with the Associated Press, Sharon Murphy and Simon Monjack speak their peace about the Clueless star as they await toxicology reports to officially determine her cause of death.
Look back on this talented actress' life and career
The star, Monjack said, suffered from mitral valve prolapse (in which a heart valve does not close properly), but doctors assured her that she "would live a long and healthy life."
Of rampant speculation that Murphy abused prescription drugs, her husband said that some of the pills discovered in their Hollywood Hills home were his. The actress occasionally took the anti-seizure drug klonopin following an incident during the filming of 8 Mile, he says.
See how Brittany's image changed over the years
Sharon Murphy explains that Brittany "had a fear of dying," and was hesitant about imbibing much of anything. "She would not take too much caffeine. She wouldn't even have a glass of champagne on New Year's," the grieving mother said. Of her daughter's often-bubbly demeanor, Sharon muses, "She was just high on life, and people see that as something else I guess." Still, Sharon admits that the wait for an official report is agonizing. "We wish we knew," she says.
"She was alive one minute and she was dead the next," Monjack said of the dark Dec. 20 morning when Murphy died.
Remember the stars we lost in 2009
Sharon Murphy also shoots down speculation that her daughter had an eating disorder. Brittany was always petite, she said; she ate often, but burned off calories with an "active lifestyle," the AP reports.
Sharon and Monjack plan a public L.A. area memorial sometime in February -- and will also launch the Brittany Murphy Foundation, benefiting arts education for children, sometime soon.
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"I think the dust will settle, the truth will come out," Monjack said. "I think people will come to realize the genius of Brittany Murphy and come to regret the way they treated her while she was alive."
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33more delusions. i suppose if it makes them feel better to think that, then let them have whatever little bit of solace they can. however, isn't the jerk she was with going to sue the studio for firing her, cause he sez that's what caused her to have a heart attack? what a turd!! can he be deported, now his meal ticket is gone?
seriously get a better picture to pose with that is a pure disgrace yea say she isnt on drugs but pose with a picture of her looking like she is on crack NICE
I agree with LeighAnne. RIP Britney!
Thanks Brittany! As an actress you were very talented, beautiful and inspiring. You Made my life brighter and mad me laugh. You brought a relatable presence to all your work and I will miss you! But you will live on in my heart I pray Peace for your soul. God Bless.
Not True! MVP. Can cause death, And especially in a person who may have been weak from a virus or some other minor illness. MVP is commo in about 50% of women but in many vast and varried degrees. Only Brittanys Doctors would know how bad her MVP was. Any irregular heart function can spontaniously cause death. MVP causes a reguritation of the blood by mitralvalve. causing less oxygen to be supplied to the organs, including the heart which BTW would cause a heart attack! Not all young thin people die of an OD.
Mitral Valve Prolapse does not cause sudden death. Eating disorders can cause sudden death. Not being able to stand or walk would not have to be visible for an eating disorder to kill you.
I will speak for her-10:52 am- Why don't you get a life. Mommy & Her husband, should let her rest in peace- they are jumping on every news media, that will have them. Whether she did or didn't die from drugs- doesn't matter- she is gone, and should be left to Rest in peace. Not have unflattering photos- staged by he mommy & hubby at every photo-op.
I had a chance to meet and very briefly work with Brittany and her Husband and Mom. As a result I have my own thoughts but it doesn't even matter that much what they are/were because if we have any kind of decent system,what really happened will come out.Or if the results are ambiguous, there are always those that know,and must live with it. I'm kind of getting away from my thought I wanted to post. I think perhaps the reason they choose the photo of her they did,was to show she was a good and underrated actress. Perhaps that was a role Brittany was proud of and/or they just want to remind people,she was an actress and proud of it.
revision to my last post.. I mean to say toxicology results not autopsy, I remember the autopsy results coming out.
have the results of her autopsy been made public yet???
She died way to soon and she was a very gifted and pretty actress and a very nice person with a soul.
Oops I meant 115 lbs.
Sounds to me like they are preparing their defense so when toxicology reports come back they can then claim to be dumfounded. And if the reports are true that she weighed 11b lbs at death and is 5'5'' that isn't scarily underweight. I am 5'4'' and when I am eating healthily and exercising I weight around 118 lbs. I have MVP too I didn't know it could kill you. Yikes.
Brittany was always petite, she said NO SHE WASN'T, SHE WAS CHUBBY IN CLUELESS AND LOST TOO MUCH WEIGHT AFTER THAT. I think people will come to realize the genius of Brittany Murphy and come to regret the way they treated her while she was alive." WHO, WHO MISTREATED BRITTANY? SHE WAS IN A LOT OF MOVIES, VERY WELL LIKED. WHY DOES SHE SAY BRTITTNAY WAS MISTREATED? EVERYONE HATES THAT SHE DIED, NOT JUST YOU LADY.
Mitral valve prolapse does not kill you. Most people don't even have symptoms. I don't know what happened with her, but as an addict myself I believe it was drug related. Denial is strong and her family is probably in denial and trying to protect her image. I think it would help more people to be honest. Brittany changed so much from Clueless, had strange behavior on interviews. This picture her family chose, given the circumstances of her death, is really tacky.
just to clarify. I believe that picture of her is a still or shot taken from one of her movies. I believe it is from "Girl Interrupted", to which she plays a pill popping spoiled rich girl sexually abused by her father, who was in a mental institution with Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder as co-stars. Infamous movie that won Jolie an Oscar.
Wow, i thought this was her parents until I read the article! LOL!
She didn't do drugs or have an eating disorder, yet they hold a picture of her that portrays her as someone who does? Couldn't they have selected one of the many beautiful, healthy looking photos of her if they are trying to convince everyone otherwise??
Oh and about the medications when it was reported that she died they stated that some of the medications in the HOME we her mothers as well as her husbands which BOTH LIVED IN THE HOME WITH HER! You people should really stop ASSUMING things. It is clear you didn't READ the other articles about her death DEESKER or you would have KNOWN that they said some of the medications we NOT hers but those who lived in the HOME WITH HER!
If she died from an eating disorder she would have been WAY to weak to walk or even stand up with out help at her last appearance. The piocture is of her in character form not just a random picture of her! In fact it looks like a picture from that movie where she says "I'll never tell" what was the title? I think it was Don't Speak or something like that.