Brittany Murphy’s 2009 death to be explored in new HBO documentary series

The life and mysterious death of actress Brittany Murphy will be the focus of a new documentary series in preparation for HBO Max.

Announced today, the streaming service will delve into the life of the Clueless star, who died at the age of 32 from pneumonia, anemia and multiple prescription drug poisoning in December 2009, Entertainment Weekly reports.

Interestingly, just five months later, her husband Simon Monjack died from the same cause.

Despite years of widespread speculation and theories of alleged foul play surrounding the circumstances of his death, officials ruled that it was an accident and his case was never reopened.

The persistent rumors even prompted his father Angelo Bertolotti to organize a private toxicology test which found that there were high levels of toxic metals present in his hair, including barium, which is used in some rat poisons, leading to reports of that she had been poisoned.

At the time, Los Angeles County Deputy Chief Coroner Ed Winter told Extra that “they could have reopened the case, but we didn’t think he would justify it.”

In addition to the unusual toxicology findings, there were whispers of concern surrounding Murphy’s husband.

The screenwriter, eight years older than Murphy, and the actress began dating in 2007 and were married in May of that year in a whirlwind of romance.

He caused controversy for his strange behavior after the death of his wife when he tried to persuade investigators not to perform an autopsy on his body.

Monjack explained that it was because he couldn’t bear the thought of having his body cut open and called the coroner relentlessly, although his request was rejected.

On top of this, despite his three-year marriage to Monjack, Murphy deliberately left him out of his will, leaving his entire inheritance to his mother.

The Clueless star rose to fame with several acclaimed roles in hit movies of the 1990s and early 2000s, including Girl, Interrupted, and 8 Mile.

According to a press release, the new HBO documentary series will feature “an intimate and deep portrait of the character,” with interviews with people close to Murphy and new archive footage, promising to dive deep into the “mysterious circumstances” surrounding his death .

Private Violence filmmaker Cynthia Hill will direct the series.

In a statement, Hill said: “I agreed to make this film because I think it is a shame that Brittany’s promising life and career have been overshadowed by the circumstances of her death.

“I think it’s important to celebrate Brittany’s talents as we struggle to explain the tragic circumstances of her and Simon’s death.”

A release date for the two-part series has yet to be announced.