LOS ANGELES: Brittany Murphy, the actress who got her start in the sleeper hit Clueless and rose to stardom in 8 Mile, died on December 20 in Los Angeles. She was 32.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Spokeswoman Sally Stewart said Murphy died at 10:04 am. She would not provide a cause of death or other information.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call at 8:00 am on Sunday at the home Murphy shared with her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, in West Hollywood hills. Murphy was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Neighbour Clare Staples said she saw firefighters working to resuscitate the actress Sunday morning. She said Murphy was on a stretcher and “looked as though she was dead at the scene.” Murphy’s husband, wearing pyjama bottoms and no shoes, appeared “dazed” as firefighters tried to save her, Staples said.

Los Angeles police have opened an investigation into Murphy’s death, Officer Norma Eisenman said. Detectives and coroner’s officials were at Murphy and Monjack’s home Sunday afternoon but did not talk to reporters. Paparazzi were camped outside.

Murphy’s father, Angelo Bertolotti, said he learned of her death from his son, and was stunned. “She was just an absolute doll since she was born,” Bertolotti said. “Everybody loved her — people that made movies with her, people on a cruise.”

Born November 10, 1977, in Atlanta, Murphy grew up in New Jersey and later moved with her mother to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Her career started in the early 1990s with small roles in television series, commercials and movies. She is best known for parts in Girl, Interrupted, Clueless and 8 Mile. Her role as rapper Eminem’s girlfriend in the film 8 Mile led to more recognition, Murphy told The Associated Press in 2003. “That changed a lot,” she said.

Her on-screen roles declined in recent years, but Murphy’s voice gave life to numerous animated characters, including Luanne Platter of Fox’s King of the Hill and Gloria the penguin in the 2006 feature Happy Feet. She is due to appear in Sylvester Stallone’s upcoming film, The Expendables, set for release next year.

She dated Ashton Kutcher, her co-star in 2003’s Just Married. Kutcher sent a message on Twitter: “2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine,” Kutcher wrote. “My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon.”