Brittany Murphy and Eminem met while filming '8 Mile.' In the movie, they played love interests — did they have a relationship off-screen?
If you watched HBO Max’s groundbreaking new documentary on the late actress Brittany Murphy — aptly named What Happened, Brittany Murphy? — you probably learned a few things. First off, Brittany’s husband Simon Monjack, who passed away shortly after she did, was definitely the antagonist in her harrowing tale. Not only did he completely control every aspect of her life, but he secretly had two children that she didn't know about and was using her money to support them.
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Besides that, the documentary also shed a light on some of Brittany’s other relationships. In 2002, she met Eminem while filming the movie 8 Mile. The documentary hinted that they were romantically involved, but did they actually date? Here’s everything we know about Brittany Murphy and Eminem’s rumored relationship.
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Did Brittany Murphy and Eminem actually date?
When 8 Mile came out in 2002, many fans speculated that Brittany and Eminem were dating. Now over a decade after she passed, it's still unclear whether or not they were romantically involved. While we can’t confirm their relationship for sure, all signs point to yes. From the way Brittany and Eminem spoke of one another in interviews, to how their co-stars described their relationship, there is some evidence that they were more than friends.
In 8 Mile, Eminem played aspiring rapper B-Rabbit and Brittany played Alex, a young woman who became romantically involved with him. To promote the film, Brittney appeared on the Late Show With David Letterman. As they spoke about her relationship with Eminem in the movie, David inquired, “Was there romance off the screen?” “Yeah, yeah sure,” Brittany answered nonchalantly. Without going into detail, she explained that "it went." "It came and it went," she revealed.
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Brittany also spoke very highly of Eminem to MTV News at the time. “He’s one of the most funny, honest, professional, hard-working actors I’ve ever worked with, if not the most," she said. Meanwhile, Eminem also spoke with the outlet regarding his relationship with the Clueless star. He shared that he and Brittany “became friends." Then he added, "I’ll say that," hinting that there may have been something more.
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Furthermore, actress Taryn Manning, who starred in the film with Brittany and Eminem, recalled her time working with the stars during What Happened, Brittany Murphy? She explained that 8 Mile was one of Brittany’s biggest roles at the time and that the young actress may have felt a lot of pressure to play the love interest of such a big name in music. Yet despite this, Brittany really brought the heat on camera.
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“I really like the first time they, like, make out in the factory, like, she went, like, all the way. She’s had a lot of courage on action and any type of inhibitions just went away,” Taryn said of Brittany. She continued: "It’s fascinating to know that the on-screen chemistry also is going off the screen. Like I might have been a little jealous at that one. Like is it true — damn it," she joked. Then she quickly slipped in that their romance "was speculated.”
Eminem has always spoken highly of Brittany Murphy.
If Brittany and Eminem were indeed entangled, their relationship was short-lived as the actress went public with That’s '70s Show alum, Ashton Kutcher, who starred in Just Married with her shortly after 8 Mile was released. However, despite what may or may not have happened between Brittany and Eminem, the rapper continued to speak highly of Brittany even after filming wrapped.
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Nearly a year after her death, he told VIBE how shocked he was that she was gone. "It's crazy because at one point we were very close and she was a really good person," he said. In 2012, the 8 Mile cast reunited to celebrate the film's 10-year anniversary sans Brittany, where Eminem continued to speak out about how much of a loss it was to not have her there. "Brittany was a good person, a super nice girl. She was very down to earth; she'd talk to anybody," he told Contact Music.
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Is Eminem dating anyone now?
According to The Sun, Eminem is currently is single. In a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone, he opened up about his love life, revealing that he doesn't really date. "Going out in public is just too crazy. I mean, I’d like to be in a relationship again someday. Who doesn’t? It’s just hard to meet new people, in my position," he explained.
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The rapper was previously married to Kimberly Scott, who he has often referenced in his music. The high school sweethearts had an on-and-off relationship that started in the late '80s. In 1995, they welcomed daughter Hailie and eventually married in 1999. However, they divorced in 2001, but reconciled and remarried in 2006. Their second marriage only lasted one year before they decided to call it quits again. Eminem has also been linked to singer Mariah Carey and actress Tara Reid.
What Happened, Brittany Murphy? is currently streaming on HBO Max.
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