Actress Brittany Murphy, known for her breakthrough role in “Clueless”

Actress Brittany Murphy, known for her breakthrough role in “Clueless” and dozens of other films, mysteriously died yesterday after collapsing in her Los Angeles home, investigators confirmed.

An autopsy could be performed as early as today to determine how the 32-year-old starlet died. Preliminary reports indicated she went into cardiac arrest at the home she shared with her husband, burly British screenwriter Simon Monjack.

L.A. firefighters responded to a 911 call from the home at about 8 a.m. yesterday. It was Murphy’s mother, Sharon, who discovered her unconscious in the shower, according to TMZ.com, which first reported the celebrity death shocker.

She was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center shortly after 10 a.m., a hospital spokeswoman confirmed. TMZ reported that Murphy’s husband didn’t want an autopsy performed on her. The Web site also said some prescription drugs were found in her house and foul play is not suspected in her death. Her mom reportedly told authorities Murphy had a history of diabetes.

Murphy starred in such films as “8 mile,” “Don’t Say a Word” and “Uptown Girl.” Her first big break came in the 1995 comedy “Clueless,” in which she played Tai, an outsider befriended by a cooler clique of girls.

In 2004, Murphy made a cameo in the Hub, where she filmed scenes for the flick “Little Black Book” outside the South End’s Metropolis restaurant. The film also starred Vineyard songbird Carly Simon.

Murphy’s father, Angelo Bertolotti, told The Associated Press he learned of her death from his son, the actress’ brother.

“She was just an absolute doll since she was born,” Bertolotti said from his Branford, Fla., 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.”

However, Murphy’s career seemed to nosedive in recent months. She was reportedly fired from one recent film, “The Caller,” for being “problematic on the set,” according to TMZ. She had three films in post-production, according to the New York Daily News.

The actress dabbled in music, releasing the dance club single “Faster Kill Pussycat” in 2006.

But physically, she appeared to be withering away, becoming painfully underweight in recent months.

In October, Murphy’s neighbors reported to cops that she was frantically screaming about gunshots on her balcony, according to the Daily News. The noise turned out to be a nearby generator.

Former beau Ashton Kutcher, who in 2003 starred with Murphy in “Just Married,” posted on his Twitter: “See you on the other side kid ... 2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon.”

From:news.bostonherald.com