Murphy moved to Los Angeles with her mother, Sharon, in the early 1990s. Her career started with small roles in television series, commercials and movies, but her part in Clueless led to larger projects.

She is best known for parts in Girl, Interrupted and 8 Mile, and also voiced the character Luanne Platter for more 200 episodes on Fox’s animated series King of the Hill.

Her role in 8 Mile led to more recognition, Murphy told AP in 2003. “That changed a lot,” she said. “That was the difference between people knowing my first and last name as opposed to not.”

She married British screenwriter Simon Monjack in 2007.

Murphy’s father, Angelo Bertolotti, said he learned of her death from his son, the actress’s brother, and was stunned.

“She was just an absolute doll since she was born,” Bertolotti said from his Branford, Florida, home. “Her personality was always outward. Everybody loved her – people that made movies with her, people on a cruise – they all loved her. She was just a regular gal.”

He said he hadn’t heard much about the circumstances of Murphy’s death. Bertolotti divorced her mother when Murphy was young and hadn’t seen Murphy in the past few years.

“She was just talented,” Bertolotti said. “And I loved her very much.”