Dakota Fanning is always thinking about her late costar Brittany Murphy.
Speaking to Brit + Co at the New York premiere of her latest movie The Watchers on Sunday, June 2, the actress, 30, opened up about her Uptown Girls costar, who died at age 32 on Dec. 20, 2009.
Asked if she had seen the viral TikTok videos of the 2003 movie and how she feels about the film still having an impact, Fanning responded, “I have, I love it. I love it, I think because it’s nostalgic for people who are around my age who grew up watching that movie.”
“I think it’s like a comfort movie for people, so I love that people are still revisiting it and loving it and now that everyone is older, understanding different things about it, so i love that.”
The Ripley star then added of Murphy, “And I loved Brittany so much and I still miss her so any time that she has sort of a moment where people think about her is also nice.”
In the movie, Fanning played a strong-willed eight-year-old named Ray, while Murphy starred as her hapless yet caring nanny Molly who takes on the role after learning that her inheritance had been embezzled.
Back in July 2020, Fanning remembered Murphy during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
“She just taught me to always have fun,” recalled Fanning. “She was, like, such a ray of light and had such a playful spirit. So I think, just, she made every day special for me. She was so wonderful.”
Murphy collapsed in the bathroom of her Hollywood Hills home after battling flu-like symptoms for a few days. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she said, “Mommy, I can’t catch my breath. Help me,” before passing out in the arms of her mother, Sharon, and husband Simon Monjack. Monjack was found dead five months after Murphy’s death at age 40.
Along with Uptown Girls, Murphy was best known for her roles in Clueless (1995), 8 Mile (2002), Girl, Interrupted (1999) and Just Married (2003).