Bye-bye, Brittany

It seems like the Grim Reaper really did a lot of harvesting of souls this year. What’s uncanny, for my generation, especially, is that too many of the icons of our youth have been summoned to the Pearly Gates. I can almost hear it, the pages of my childhood being ripped away from the Book of My Life.

There are barely a few weeks left ‘till 2010, and I can already claim 2009 as the year I fully ventured into adulthood. Yes, funny for someone who’s already 32, right? But get this—the recent addition to the dearly departed is Brittany Murphy, who died on Dec. 20 at 32. The cause of death isn’t clear yet, but that doesn’t make it any less tragic, true?

Brittany shot to fame for her role as Tai, the newcomer in Clueless, the Amy Heckerling pop classic that starred Alicia Silverstone. I remember her for the scene in which she sings Coolio’s “Rolling with the Homies.” I thought she was going the Fairuza Balk route—you know, the bad girl, misunderstood type—when I saw her again in Girl, Interrupted and 8 Mile. But she managed to become leading girl material with some successful quirky romantic comedies like Little Black Book and Love and Other Disaster. The last film I saw her in was Ramen Girl, and I thought she was just lovely. And who can forget her singing role in Happy Feet?

Brittany is so much the crazy-girl-next-door type in Hollywood that her death is really unbelievable. Her image, to me, was like the girl who can down a case of beer or whatever and live to laugh at everyone who’d passed out drunk the next day! It seemed like she would live forever, given the bright light she shone on all her quirky roles.

Of course, how can we really know what was going on in her private life?

Her death, like the death of many icons, makes you really think of how fleeting everything is. Fortunately for Brittany, it seems like she’s had a full life and had already spread much of her light.

In her memory, I’d like to share some of my favorite lines from her unforgettable characters.

Clueless (1995)

Tai (Murphy): Why should I listen to you, anyway? You’re a virgin who can’t drive.

Cher (Silverstone): That was way harsh, Tai.

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Daisy (Murphy): It has an eat-in chicken.

Susanna (Winona Ryder): I think you mean an eat-in kitchen.

Daisy: That’s what I said, asshole.

***

Daisy: Which do you like better? Taking a dump alone or with Valerie watching?

Susanna: Alone.

Daisy: Everyone likes to be alone when it comes out. I like to be alone when it goes in. To me, the cafeteria is like being with twenty girls all at once taking a dump.

Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)

Fay (Murphy): Okay, pretend that I’m your parents, say what you’re gonna say.

Beverly (Drew Barrymore): Okay, Mom, Pop?

Fay: Yeah?

Beverly: I don’t know how to say this...

Fay: But...

Beverly: I’m pregnant.

Fay: My daughter’s a tramp! My daughter’s a tramp! You’re 15 years old, how could you do this to me? Why don’t you just take my gun. Take my gun and shoot me in the head with it tramp! I wish that you were never born! How was that?

Love and Other Disasters (2006)

Emily (Murphy): Stop living your life like you’re in some kind of movie.

Peter (Mathew Rhys): Excuse me?

Emily: Stop trying to cast your love instead of just meeting him.

Peter: When I meet him, I’ll know.

Emily: I’m not so sure. Love isn’t always a lightning bolt, you know? Maybe sometimes it’s just a choice.

Peter: Well, that’s easy for you to say! You’re flying to Argentina to meet the love of your life!

Emily: That’s just it. I don’t know that Paolo’s the love of my life, but I’ve decided to give him the chance to be. Maybe true love is a decision. You know, a decision to take a chance with somebody. To give to somebody. Without worrying whether they’ll give anything back. Or if they’re gonna hurt you, or if they really are the one. Maybe love isn’t something that happens to you. Maybe it’s something you have to choose.

Peter: So what do I do?

Emily: Well, you could start by putting all of those fantasies of true love where they belong, into your work of fiction.

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