Brittany Murphy and Other Young Stars Who Were Gone Too Soon

Brittany Murphy excitedly told "Access Hollywood" in 2009 that she planned to work on "Happy Feet 2 ." Within months, she passed away. Her husband, Simon Monjak, blamed her death on the fact that the film had apparently dropped Murphy from the project just before her death. Simon told "The Daily Telegraph" that, "They killed her. She was devastated. You're disposable as an actress or actor."

As the trailer for the sequel to the original hit "Happy Feet" is hitting theaters, those close to Brittany are left with a tough reminder of her tragic, premature death and the struggles she faced just before passing. Sadly, the infamous pressures and unstable realities experience by many child stars are all too real, and many former child stars have passed in their twenties or earlier. Here's to remember Brittany and some other young stars who left us too soon.

Jonathan Brandis

Jonathan won the hearts of many kids in the 1990s as the star of films like "Ladybugs" and TV shows like "SeaQuest DSV." He also guest-starred on shows like "Full House," "Who's The Boss?" and "The Wonder Years." He continued to have a successful career into his twenties. Yet, sadly, in November 2003, Brandis was found hanged in the hallway of his apartment building by friends. According to Find a Death, it was ruled a suicide. It left friends and family members confused, and fans mourn the loss of this iconic actor to this day. Many memorials can be found on the Internet. Jonathan was only 27 when he passed away.

Aaliyah

Talented singer Aaliyah, whose formal name was Aaliyah Dana Haughton, was known for such hits as the mega-successful song, "Try Again." She had long worked for her well-earned success, and she achieved early success on such shows as "Star Search" when she was only 10 years old. Allegedly married as a teen to R. Kelly Aaliyah was completely dedicated to her career. She lived a lot in her short years on earth. Sadly, she passed away when she was only 22 when a small plane she was flying in crashed in the Bahamas in August 2001, as reported by ABC News.

Heath Ledger

Heath won extreme acclaim for his performance in "Brokeback Mountain," including an Academy Award nomination. The Australian actor had been acting since he was a kid, and he took his success in stride. He seemed so genuinely likable and talented that it was hard not to take notice of his star presence. When he passed away unexpectedly in January 2008, there was a public outcry from fans around the world. Although rumors initially whirled on many different causes of death, "The New York Times" reported that it was ultimately ruled an accident from an unintentional overdose of prescription medications. He was only 28 years old when he died.

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