In 1981 Hollywood star Natalie Wood drowned – but was her death the result of a tragic accident or something much more sinister?

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It was a sunny morning in southern California, and officials were desperately searching the ocean around Santa Catalina Island. Hours before, the movie star Natalie Wood had disappeared from her luxury yacht, and the race was on to locate her. When authorities spotted a body floating in the water, however, the grisly find kickstarted a mystery that continues to haunt Hollywood to this day. And while decades have now passed since Wood’s death, crucial information about the incident continues to emerge. In fact, one key witness in the case has even gone on to reveal some dark new details about that fateful night.

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Naturally, news of Wood’s passing dominated headlines around the world, while a story as good as any movie plot unfolded behind the scenes. For starters, a number of sinister rumors had begun to spread. Why could nobody give a clear account of what had happened that night on board the Splendour? And what role had Robert Wagner – her allegedly jealous husband – played in the tragedy?

Well, for almost 40 years, the events surrounding that evening remained a mystery. And even though a murder investigation was never launched, suspicion regarding Wagner’s participation in Wood’s death cast a shadow over his career. Then, in November 2019, the captain of the Splendour gave a telling interview – and it thrust the actress’ grim ending into the headlines once more.

We’ll discover exactly what the captain’s claims are later, but first let’s learn more about Wood herself. Born in San Francisco in July 1938, she was the daughter of Russian parents who fled to Canada during the Russian Civil War. The couple later settled in California, where the glamor of Hollywood soon worked its magic on their daughter. In fact, even as a young girl, the future Oscar nominee was glued to the silver screen.

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Wood became famous early on, too, after receiving her big break in 1947 with a leading role in Miracle on 34th Street. And as she grew up, she continued to act all the way throughout her childhood and teens, making the transition to adult stardom in 1961 with an award-winning performance in Splendor in the Grass.

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From that point onward, in fact, Wood’s career went from strength to strength. The actress even ultimately earned an Oscar nomination for her turn as Maria in West Side Story – probably her most famous role. And even though in 1970 she took a break from her career to raise a family, she remained one of Hollywood’s best-loved faces for many years.

Wood’s personal life, by contrast, was rather more rocky. On the day that she turned 18, her studio arranged for her to go on a date with Robert Wagner, who was 26 at the time. Having launched his career as a leading man back in 1953, the actor was already established, and Wood had been nurturing a crush on her fellow star.

Wood and Wagner soon became an item, too, and they tied the knot less than 18 months on from their initial encounter. However, the couple’s wedded life ultimately turned out to be far from perfect, and in 1961 they duly separated after less than four years of marriage. Nonetheless, Wood picked herself up, dusted herself off and found a new man. She started dating Richard Gregson, a British producer, and in May 1969 he became her second husband.

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Sadly, this relationship ended in heartbreak as well, as Wood left Gregson when she suspected that he was having an affair. Wagner, for his part, also married again – this time to Marion Marshall, an actress and old acquaintance. But after eight years he found himself divorced for the second time, and he ultimately resumed his romance with Wood in 1972.

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In July that year, Wood and Wagner wed once more, with daughter Courtney following in 1974. But while those close to the couple believed that they were doing everything within their power to make the relationship work, cracks began to show less than ten years into that second marriage.

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For most of the 1970s, Wood had been absent from Hollywood, choosing to focus on her family instead. By the end of the decade, however, she had begun taking roles in both television and movie productions. And in 1981 Wood signed on to star opposite the actor Christopher Walken in the science fiction thriller Brainstorm.

So, from September 1981, Wood spent six weeks shooting on location in North Carolina, after which she returned to California to continue working on the movie in MGM’s studios. Then, in November 1981, the production team took a break, and the actress seized the opportunity to enjoy some leisure time.

To celebrate Thanksgiving, Wood and Wagner decided to spend the weekend on their boat the Splendour. And with Walken along for the ride, the couple sailed to Santa Catalina Island – some 30 miles off the coast of Long Beach, CA. Aside from captain Dennis Davern, the three movie stars were alone on the voyage.

Later, Wagner would recount the events of that fateful cruise in his 2008 memoir Pieces of My Heart – an excerpt of which was published in the Daily Mail a year later. On November 28, 1981, Wagner claimed, he had awoken to discover that Wood and Walken had headed to eat together on the island – thus leaving him on the boat alone. And according to Hollywood rumor, the two co-stars had at that time been engaged in an illicit affair.

Even despite the tittle-tattle, though, Wagner suggested that he had not grown too agitated about Walker and Wood’s dinner date. Instead, he claimed that he had sailed over to join his wife and the actor on shore. And from there, according to Wagner, the trio apparently began drinking – an activity that they continued later when back on board the Splendour. But, in time, the companionable evening would ultimately take a much darker turn.

Wagner then alleged that he and Walken had gotten into an argument over Wood’s career, with the beleaguered actress subsequently leaving the table as the disagreement escalated. And if this story is to be believed, then Wagner never saw his wife alive again. The actor asserted, you see, that he had found his and Wood’s shared stateroom empty when he had returned to the space later on.

Today, though, there is still much speculation about what really happened that tragic night. And as it stands, established facts are few and far between. According to records, the coast guard was notified that Wood was missing at around 3:30 a.m. For over four hours, then, would-be rescuers used helicopters to comb the Pacific Ocean around Santa Catalina Island.

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However, at around 8:00 a.m., the team’s worst fears were confirmed. In the water just a mile away from where the Splendour was moored, searchers discovered Wood’s lifeless body. Clad in a red down jacket, socks and a nightgown, she looked as if she had simply stepped off the deck of the boat and into the ocean below.

The dinghy from the Splendour was also found beached up on the shore. Had Wood decided to take the boat on a late-night adventure only to meet with a terrible fate? Her sister Lana would go on to argue that this seemed unlikely. According to Town & Country magazine, a fortune teller had once told the siblings’ mother to “beware of dark water,” while the actress herself had long harbored a fear of the sea.

Nevertheless, the coroner recorded a verdict of death by drowning. And even though officials were unable to determine exactly what had happened, there seemed to be a consensus that a tragic accident had occurred. Some reasoned, for instance, that the actress may have fallen into the ocean while attempting to secure the dinghy. Given that she had spent the evening drinking wine and champagne, it did not seem like an unreasonable assumption to make.

And, at first, this seemed a likely explanation for Wood’s death. Indeed, according to Don Whiting, the night manager of Santa Catalina Island restaurant Doug’s Harbor Reef, the entire party had been intoxicated before heading back to the Splendour. An autopsy also showed that the actress had at some point taken painkillers and a motion-sickness pill, and so she may have felt even drunker as a result of combining alcohol with this medication.

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But as time passed, some grew suspicious about Wagner’s version of events. You see, the autopsy had also revealed bruises and abrasions on Wood’s body, and at least one detective suspected that something sinister may therefore have happened. In 2018 Ralph Hernandez from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told CBS News, “[Wood] looked like the victim of an assault.”

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For three decades, though, nothing more was learned about the circumstances surrounding Wood’s death. Then, in 2011, the Splendour’s captain went public with a startling statement. Apparently, Davern had not been honest during the initial investigation. And what he had declined to tell police, it seemed, was that Wood and Wagner had argued on the night of her death.

Davern even claimed that Wagner had delayed searching for his wife after noticing that she was missing. He told NBC News that year, “We didn’t take any steps to see if we could locate [Wood]. I think it was a matter of, ‘We’re not going to look too hard, we’re not going to turn on the searchlight, [and] we’re not going to notify anybody right now.’”

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And Davern went so far as to suggest that Wagner was responsible for his wife’s death. Naturally, the movie star didn’t take well to this accusation, and in turn he complained that the captain was trying to profit from the anniversary of the tragic occasion. Whatever Davern’s motivation, though, it was enough to spark police interest in the case, and the investigation was reopened in 2011.

Then, in 2012, Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran, the former Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner for the County of Los Angeles, adjusted Wood’s records to reflect the uncertainty surrounding her death. Another amendment was also made the following year, with investigators going on to acknowledge that the actress may have sustained her injuries before she entered the water.

Perhaps the most stunning development of recent times came in 2018, however. In that year, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Christopher Bergner revealed that new witnesses had emerged with testimony that seemed to support Davern’s version of events. According to Marilyn Wayne, who had apparently been spending the evening on a boat just 80 feet from the Splendour, the night had been punctuated by desperate cries.

Wayne and her partner alleged that they had heard a couple arguing and a woman screaming for help. Yet no assistance had supposedly arrived, even though the witnesses claimed that they had contacted the harbormaster. And Wayne even asserted that she had received a handwritten death threat urging her to keep quiet about what she had heard.

But while no arrests were made in the light of these claims, police made it clear that Wagner was still a person of interest in the investigation. And while the actor denied any involvement in Wood’s death, suspicion continued to mount. Then, in July 2018, Wood’s sister, Lana, gave an interview to the crime podcast Fatal Voyage. Apparently, she also believed that Wagner had somehow played a part in his wife’s passing.

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“I believe that there was a horrible fight on board the Splendour,” Lana told Fatal Voyage. “I think it escalated to a point where [Wood] was either struck or pushed.” And while she did not believe that Wagner had planned to murder her sister, she nevertheless urged him to help investigators get to the truth.

Then, in November 2019, there came yet another twist in the sordid tale. In an interview with the American television personality Dr. Oz, Davern claimed to have had even more details about the night of Wood’s death. Apparently, she and Wagner had not only argued, but they had also left behind all the evidence of a violent altercation.

“It looked like a storm went through that room,” Davern explained during his appearance on The Dr. Oz Show. “Everything was just all over the place. I found one of [Wood’s] earrings; it was thrown somewhere in the corner. I don’t know if it was just ripped off her ear or what, but there was an earring [and] the pillows were all over. The room was a mess. There was a full-on fight in that room.”

Davern also maintained that he had overheard the couple’s disagreement as their room was located directly below the bridge deck. When the captain had ventured downstairs, though, he had apparently been greeted by Wagner standing on the deck alone. And according to Davern, the actor had then informed him that Wood was missing and instructed him to search the boat.

During the program, Dr. Oz also spoke to Marti Rulli, the author of the 2006 book Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour. And according to Rulli, Davern knew exactly why Wood and Wagner had been arguing. Apparently, Wagner had grown angry at the closeness between his wife and Walken and had smashed a wine bottle in frustration.

After that, Rulli claimed, Walken had retreated to his cabin, where he had remained for the rest of the night. Wood and Wagner, meanwhile, allegedly returned to their own stateroom, where an argument soon ensued. And Rulli added that Davern had supposedly overheard some loud and alarming noises that he had felt compelled to investigate.

“Dennis knocked on the stateroom door,” Rulli told Dr. Oz. “When Wagner went and opened the door, he wedged himself between the door and told Dennis, ‘Go away, mind your own business and leave us alone.’ So [Davern] stepped back, and the arguing continued. But now [Davern] was hearing things being thrown around the stateroom – and maybe a body being slammed against the wall.”

According to Rulli, the argument eventually spilled out onto the back deck. And, the author claimed, Davern had begun playing music from the bridge in an attempt to drown out the shouting. However, it’s said that the captain eventually noticed that things had fallen silent. And, allegedly, when he went to check on the situation, he noticed that Wood had disappeared.

To illustrate her narrative, Rulli used a miniature crime lab – a faithful recreation of the Splendour’s interior. And with models of Wagner, Wood, Walken and Davern, she demonstrated where each of the key players had supposedly been that fateful night. What’s more, Rulli cast doubt on the notion that Wood had fallen while attempting to tie up a wayward dinghy. Apparently, Davern had told her that he had secured the vessel to the swim step – not along the port side, as many theories claim.

And as it happens, Davern had yet another remarkable claim regarding the events that surrounded Wood’s death. Specifically, the captain asserted that Walken had been heartbroken when he heard the news that his co-star had drowned. Davern told Dr Oz, “[Walken] didn’t say a word; he just cried. I mean, he was devastated standing there… Here is all the authorities, this is all on the back of the boat. He was full of tears.”

Today, the case continues, with Rulli believing that there is enough evidence to mount a homicide trial. Davern has also reputedly passed a polygraph test supporting his version of events. But will the truth about what happened on board the Splendour ever make it to light? Or will it remain a secret for many years to come?

There are of course other Hollywood mysteries that continue to captivate the public to this day. Take, for instance, the death of actress Brittany Murphy. The strange circumstances surrounding her 2009 passing – followed, bizarrely, by that of her husband months later – still cast a shadow over her legacy. But will we ever truly know what happened?

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Early in the morning of December 20, 2009, Brittany Murphy tells mom Sharon that she’s not feeling too hot. Then, just half an hour later, the 32-year-old actress collapses, and her husband, Simon Monjack, tries desperately to bring her back to consciousness. Sharon also dials 911 and begs for assistance from the emergency services – hoping against hope that they can save her daughter. But, ultimately, nothing helps, and tragically Murphy passes away in a Los Angeles hospital later that day.

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Following Murphy’s untimely passing, though, wild rumors began to swirl about what exactly happened to cause her death. Even now, the events that led to the end of Murphy’s life aren’t completely clear. And when another heartbreaking loss hit the Murphy family mere months later, the plot only thickened.

In fact, the mystery surrounding Murphy’s death arguably increased after her husband passed away in May 2010. Yes, Monjack died not long after his late wife – and in very strange circumstances. Perhaps most inexplicably of all, the screenwriter had apparently succumbed to some of the same ailments that had afflicted Murphy herself.

But well before Hollywood mourned the loss of one of its brightest young talents, Murphy had been an aspiring actress. The future star had been brought up by Sharon in New Jersey after her parents had split, and when she set her heart on Hollywood, her mom was seemingly happy to pack up her life in pursuit of that dream. Murphy later credited Sharon’s faith in her daughter as being a big part of her subsequent achievements.

Murphy paid her mom back for her devotion, too, by sharing a home with Sharon in Los Angeles, California after she had made it big. And the star was full of compliments for her parent, describing Sharon as both “the greatest in the whole wide world” and “a pillar of strength.”

Thanks in part to that support, then, Murphy shot to fame with her first big role in cult favorite Clueless. And her career only went from strength to strength from there after parts in Girl, Interrupted and Drop Dead Gorgeous – both of which proved the actress had range as well as comedy chops. Appearances in Don’t Say a Word, 8 Mile and Just Married also followed.

Naturally, then, the rising star earned her fair share of attention in Hollywood. None other than Roger Ebert was among her cheerleaders, with the veteran critic once remarking that Murphy’s comical turn at an awards show had left him “dumbfounded by her brilliance.” But the actress didn’t restrict herself to movies. In 2006, you see, she also lent her vocals to a hit collaboration with dance music DJ Paul Oakenfold.

And fame also brought Murphy the attention of some of Hollywood’s most sought-after men – including her fellow Just Married actor Ashton Kutcher. The star even got engaged on two occasions – firstly to talent guru Jeff Kwatinetz and after that to Joe Macaluso, who’d worked on her film Little Black Book. But gossip about Murphy did not focus solely on her love life.

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Worryingly, in the 2000s, Murphy shed a lot of weight – and there was plenty of talk about why. During a press event for the movie Sin City, the actress even had to deny that she was suffering from an eating disorder. Murphy explained, “I’m the same size I was in Clueless; it’s just that the weight in your face changes as you grow and get older.” She added, “This is my body, I’m proud of it, I’m healthy.”

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Murphy strongly rebutted the claims that she had a drug habit, too. When in 2005 a Jane magazine interviewer asked the star about cocaine, she replied, “No, just for the record, I have never tried it in my entire life. I’ve never even seen it, and I don’t leave the house too much – except to go to work.”

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On one occasion in 2006, however, Murphy did go out to a party – and it was there that she bumped into Monjack. Then, after that fateful meeting, the two embarked on a romance that ultimately led to the altar. This time around, Murphy did not bother to announce to the world that she had gotten engaged; instead, she simply married Monjack in her own home in April 2007. But just who was this mysterious character who had suddenly appeared on the scene?

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Well, reports had it that Monjack had been in some trouble with the law. Allegedly, he faced a couple of arrest warrants for fraud and stealing a credit card – although ultimately proceedings went no further. A U.K. investment company also reportedly pursued Monjack for more than $500,000, as did lawyers to whom he supposedly owed $6,000. On top of all that, the screenwriter had previously done time in jail for overstaying a visa.

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Further rumors chased Monjack, too. Had his lack of a current visa led to the quick wedding, for instance? And did he already have children? Well, Monjack refused to comment on any of those matters. In any case, it seemed that the love affair was real enough, as apparently he and Murphy were utterly smitten with each other.

Then, less than three years into the marriage, tragedy struck. Early on December 20, 2009, Murphy had stepped out onto her balcony for some fresh air. Disturbingly, she seemed to be having trouble breathing, and Monjack therefore called for Sharon to come and help. During a later appearance on Larry King Live, Murphy’s husband claimed that Murphy had also told her mom she was dying.

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Murphy was still with Sharon, in fact, at about 7:30 a.m., when the actress said yet again that she wasn’t feeling well. Then the star collapsed, and while Monjack made an effort to bring her round with a cold shower, Sharon called an ambulance. But although Murphy was subsequently taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, nothing could be done for her. Heartbreakingly, she died just after 10:00 a.m.

And while Murphy’s cause of death wasn’t immediately apparent, it soon became clear how many prescription medicines were lying around her home. Los Angeles County assistant chief coroner Ed Winter would go on to note that an investigative team took out nearly 90 bottles – all in names that Monjack had used – although Monjack himself would claim that these were just previously prescribed drugs.

In any case, when the autopsy results had come in, it was revealed that Murphy had not been taking any illicit substances. And back in 2009, Winter told People magazine what he believed had killed the actress. He explained, “[Murphy] was really sick with pneumonia, very anemic, and she was taking medication – and all that combined killed her.” That wasn’t all that the assistant coroner had to say, though.

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You see, Winter also believed that Murphy’s life could have been saved if she hadn’t relied on self-medication. He added to People, “This death could’ve been preventable. Murphy was planning on seeing a doctor, but she unfortunately passed away before she did. This was a case of a person with pneumonia who was anemic and was taking medication when she should’ve been getting medical treatment.”

Monjack insisted, however, that he hadn’t stopped Murphy from getting medical help and added that he’d just thought she’d been fighting the flu. He told People, “I had no idea she had pneumonia. I took very good care of my wife.”

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Naturally, Murphy’s devastated family also released a statement that expressed their feelings about her passing. The message read, “The sudden loss of our beloved Brittany is a terrible tragedy. She was our daughter, our wife, our love and a shining star. We ask you to respect our privacy at this time.” Monjack made headlines, too, for the way in which he comported himself after his wife’s death.

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For starters, the screenwriter actually tried to stop an autopsy being carried out on Murphy. Claiming that the idea of her body getting cut up was too much to cope with, Monjack pestered the coroner. Then, when news of this got out, rumors about his possible role in Murphy’s death spread across the internet like wildfire. And while Monjack ultimately refuted any such suggestions, others weren’t convinced.

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Among those suspicious of Monjack’s motives was George Hickenlooper, who had worked with Murphy’s widower on the movie Factory Girl. Hickenlooper blasted Monjack for being both a “con man and a bad guy” and blogged after Murphy’s passing, “I only hope that this creep wasn’t instrumental in her sad demise.”

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To others, though, it appeared that Monjack had genuinely been left distraught by Murphy’s death. That at least was the impression given during a subsequent interview with People, when the screenwriter lamented, “I had a life I never dreamed. I have seen the sun set on five continents. I’d trade it all for one more day with Brittany. I lost my life. She was my best friend, and she was a little girl who wanted her husband right there. What do I have left?” Nor was he alone in paying tribute to the Sin City actress.

Former boyfriend Kutcher also honored Murphy by tweeting, “[Today] the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out [to] Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon. See you on the other side kid.” One of the co-stars of her breakthrough film got involved, too.

Then, in February 2010, the coroner ruled that Murphy had died by accident. As originally believed, the causes of her demise had been pneumonia, anemia and intoxication by several drugs, with the anemia alone likely to have led to a “weakened state of health” that would have made Murphy prone to infection.

The coroner’s report also suggested that the medications Murphy had taken – which included Vicodin, chlorpheniramine and L-methamphetamine – may have had “adverse physiological effects” on the actress given her frail state. By themselves, these findings didn’t necessarily point to anything untoward; chlorpheniramine is in several medications that can be bought without prescriptions, for example, while L-methamphetamine can be used to treat the effects of pneumonia. Yet even if the autopsy didn’t end up making waves, the same can’t be said of Murphy’s will.

You see, the star bequested everything that she’d owned to her mother – with nothing in store for Monjack. The document in question even stated, “I am married to Simon Monjack who I have intentionally left out of this will.” Monjack claimed that he didn’t have a problem, however, and that he had asked Murphy to exclude him anyway.

Still, there was speculation that Monjack had gotten his hands on the money regardless. And Murphy’s business manager Jeffrey Morgenroth only added fuel to that particular fire when he alleged that Monjack had emptied most of the actress’ accounts before his own death. In addition, it was claimed that, following the star’s passing, her mother had been sharing Monjack’s bed.

And while Monjack and Sharon worked together to create a foundation in Murphy’s name, the screenwriter’s behavior again caused questions to be asked. For one, it appeared that he had attempted to charge admission for a fundraiser. Then it became clear that he had not submitted the right papers needed for the foundation to operate as a nonprofit.

Before Monjack had managed to make the foundation a going concern, however, tragedy struck. On May 23, 2010, the widower passed away at the age of 40 – despite his publicist’s assertions that he had seemed to be in good health. And while Monjack had been previously experiencing a heart issue, his autopsy brought astonishing results.

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To begin with, you see, it was claimed that Monjack had also died of pneumonia and anemia – just like Murphy. In fact, it appeared that his heart problem hadn’t actually played a part in his death – nor had the levels of prescription medication in his blood. In the final report, though, the coroner clarified that Monjack had passed away solely from bronchopneumonia.

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Yet that still wasn’t the end of the speculation that surrounded Murphy and Monjack. Talk emerged, for example, of toxic mold being present in the couple’s home. Winter even claimed that he’d discussed mold as a possibility with Sharon, although she denied that conversation had ever happened. It also turned out that the house had undergone an inspection prior to Murphy and Monjack’s deaths.

Then in December 2011 events took a bizarre turn. That month, Sharon embarked on legal action against her original lawyers, claiming that she’d been advised to settle with the home’s builders instead of pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit. The mom had been following up on alleged construction defects in the house – including a supposed mold infestation. But as the findings of an environmental review of the home never saw the light of day, no one could be sure whether the deaths had anything to do with damp at the property.

Then, the following month, Angelo Bertolotti, Murphy’s father, took the coroner’s department to court, as he wanted the star’s remains to be tested for heavy metals or other potential poisons. And while Bertolotti ultimately lost the action, he did still order an independent test on some of Murphy’s hair. The results of this investigation were duly returned in 2013, and they may have raised eyebrows, too. You see, it was found that the hair contained trace amounts of heavy metals, including barium – which is sometimes a component of rat poison.

Furthermore, the associated report from the test said, “If we were to eliminate the possibility of a simultaneous accidental heavy metals exposure to the sample donor, then the only logical explanation would be an exposure to these metals (toxins) administered by a third-party perpetrator with likely criminal intent.” This was enough to convince Bertolotti that his daughter had been murdered.

But when CNN asked American Board of Forensic Toxicology president Dr. Bruce Goldberger what he thought about the matter, he was scathing. Indeed, Goldberger dismissed the report entirely and labeled the accusation of murder “baseless.” According to the forensic scientist, making such a determination from the amount of hair provided was impossible, while the test results themselves may have arisen as a result of hair dye – which Murphy had often used.

The coroner’s office didn’t find the report persuasive, either – at least, not enough to further look into the case. Winter explained to Extra, “The only thing they found [in the test] was heavy metals present, but I guess either our folks or a doctor explained to them [that] it was due to Brittany coloring her hair… It was determined it was from color.”

Nevertheless, forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht urged caution when it came to dismissing the test completely. He said to E!, “I would have checked to see if the private lab results were valid – and, if they could be corroborated and analyzed, whether there was exposure and where… the exposure [came] from.” In Wecht’s view, Murphy and Monjack’s relatively close deaths made this avenue worth checking out.

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And Bertolotti had no doubts about what had gone on; in his opinion, his ex-wife, Sharon, had murdered the couple. Yet Murphy’s dad proved unable to convince the county to dig Murphy back up so that she could undergo more tests, and he went to the grave himself with his suspicions in 2019. So, no official evidence seems to support any wrongdoing in Murphy and Monjack’s deaths – and here’s hoping that remains the case.

Meanwhile, Alicia Silverstone, who famously appeared in seminal 1990s teen movie Clueless alongside Murphy, also had some poignant words to say about her co-star following her death. In 2009 the actress told People, “I’m so saddened to hear this news. I loved working with Brittany. She was so talented, so warm and so sweet. I always felt connected to her as we shared a very special experience in our lives together. I feel love in my heart for her and hope she is at peace.”