In Memory of Brittany Murphy, A Tribute to Tai’s “Clueless” Makeover Scene

For those of you who haven’t heard yet, actress Brittany Murphy died yesterday morning of unknown causes at the age of 32. And to honor her, I’d like to remember a moment of joy in my childhood that came courtesy of the actress. I’m talking about the sweet, unforgettable scene where Cher and Dionne take her character Tai in Clueless and turn her into a swan…

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a picture of her before shot of how she looked when she first arrived on campus, prompting Cher (Alicia Silverstone) and Dionne (Stacey Dash) to take her under their wing for a makeover. Think flannel shirt and frizzy hair. But that all changes when the ladies go the Cher’s after school. Unlike the near-death experience Tai has at the mall, this was actually a montage of Murphy trying on clothes, having her hair dyed and eyebrows plucked set to the song Supermodel.

What’s really so fun about it is how much fun Tai is clearly having. You get the feeling she’s more excited to try something new with her two new friends than anything else. And, ultimately, it was her inherent likability that really stood out in this scene. In other hands, Tai could have been annoying—too eager, maybe even a little sad. But Brittany was so gracefully awkward, you just couldn’t help but love Tai. She was the sweet, nice girl who just needed a boost of confidence. We all had a little bit of Tai in us. And when she went to school the next day and everyone noticed, we all beamed with pride with her.

But in the end, it’s the makeover Tai’s self-esteem gets that’s the real transformation. She goes from the girl who keeps second-guessing how her shirt is tied at a party to the one who goes to a skateboarding competition to openly support the boy Cher originally dismissed as not crushable (who Cher ultimately gives a thumbs up to, not only because Travis begins to show more focus, but, well, she was a pretty likable character, too). But it all started with the moment they slapped some dye on her head and grabbed those tweezers.

It was a sweet movie and a really fantastic scene.

RIP, Brittany Murphy.

For the details of her passing click here. And for all our Brittany Murphy coverage today, click here.

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Photos: Everett Collection