Get Flip on Facebook! Now you can make and share flipbooks on facebook. Add the application!
•
Quizzes We've got lots of Style, Entertainment, Beauty, Love, Life and Friends quizzes. Take one here.
•
What Do You Think? Want to talk to other members or share your opinion on anything on your mind? Come sound off on our boards.
•
Read Your Daily Horoscope Want to know what's in store for you, your best friend, crush, or boyfriend? Read Fiona's astro predictions.
•
Say Anything Read and rate our newest mortifying moment.
Brittany Murphy: Larger Than Life
For someone who's only 25, Brittany Murphy's certainly been around the block. She's starred in a ton of films, including Clueless, Don't Say a Word, Just Married, 8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted. In her latest movie, Uptown Girls, Brittany plays the free spirit/flake/nanny/newly broke Molly Gunn. We got a chance to chat with the actress about her personal life, her career, and how she's so Zen — all before she rushed out to get ready for that night's Teen Choice Awards.
How are you like your character Molly?
There's something Marley Shelton, who plays Ingrid, likes to refer to as chaos, which I think Molly embodies, and according to Marley, I embody that as well. A lot of Molly's idiosyncrasies are similar to mine, but she is a character that's larger than life. I couldn't keep up with her schedule! It was really nice to put her shoes on and be her for a while, but she's tiring. She outran me.
What was the most fun about filming Uptown Girls?
Well, there's the superficial things, like Molly's clothes were fabulous, but the most fun part of filming was being able to work with Dakota [9-year-old Dakota Fanning co-stars as Ray]. That was really the greatest joy! I'm a part of this film because of the message: being true to yourself, things are going to happen, bad things are going to happen, and you can find information and grow in the least likeliest of places and learn from the least likeliest of sources. And really, be brave, be bold, and be true to yourself and believe in yourself. That's what Molly decides to do when she finds herself, and I love that.
How different was it working with a young actor like Dakota? Any challenges?
Yeah, keeping up! Uh, I'm being sarcastic...She is extraordinary at being 9. She loves life, she loves childhood, she is such a kindred spirit, ball of sunshine, energetic joy. She also has a very old soul, and she is extremely wise, and so bright, sharp, and intelligent. She's just one of the greatest, most balanced, grounded humans I've ever met in my entire life. I love her.
Do you feel like that?
I feel grounded every day. My sense of family is really strong, and it always has been. My circumstances and my surroundings change, and my hair color does, and my clothes and the cast of characters that come in and out of my life. Other than that it's just a basic core, and that has not changed, it's just grown.
Is it hard to get over a breakup when your ex is on the cover of every magazine?
This is an easy one. No. The answer is no. Not for me, not in this case.
So how do you get over a breakup?
I don't talk about relationships in print anymore. That's one big thing I learned from that relationship. I don't want this interview to be misconstrued in any way, shape, or form as specifically speaking about one relationship. I would like it to be known for the record, everyone, that [this applies to] relationships in general, it's good to have a broken heart sometimes. This is geared for young people, what I'm saying. Basically, I'm 25, so I don't have a wealth of knowledge. I've had four and a half boyfriends in my life and I've gone on two dates! So, I think the most important thing is to just learn. Learn why it didn't work and not allow that to happen again, and not give someone your power. You have to still keep yourself, which is also, I'm going to tie it into this film, which is also a really big message in Uptown Girls. Her relationship with Neal, she gives and gives and gives of herself until she doesn't have anything left to give. And then it takes the most unlikely relationship with an 8-year-old to realize, Wait a second, I have to trust my instincts, believe in myself and be true to myself to actually be able to give the way I want to give in life and be the person I want to be, and be the balanced person that I'd like to be.
You seem like you are pretty Zen about the aspects of fame and about your privacy. Is that true?
Zen? Thanks! I'm an overly friendly person, I always have been. I love people. So as soon as I meet someone, I want to tell them about my experience, I want to hear everything about them, and yet, the media, sorry but you're not my friends. You can be one day, if we do normal things together, but you're not now. So basically during my last relationship I didn't realize that, and that's something one must realize. [The press and paparazzi] are a part of my life now, and I get it, and I signed up for this job, and I can't do without that. I don't encourage it, but it's there. So please, just spell my name right!
Are you interested in music, like your character is in the movie?
Yes, in fact, in November I'm going to start recording an album. Acting and music to me are the chicken and the egg. I'm so excited to make an album. Every film that I've been a part of I can remember every song from every scene and I've always integrated music in somehow, some way, some shape, some form. But they've always been in character, never as myself.
[As she's leaving the room]
I walked into the door on the way out of the last room, but very normally. There was a man who just looked at me and smiled and I said, "It's okay, you can laugh at me." People have laughed at me all my life. Why not make a living at it?
Watch the Uptown Girls trailer here: hi | mid | lo
