Elisa Donovan "Clueless"

Elisa Donovan became forever recognizable as Amber, Cher Horowitz's fabulously overdressed rival in the 1995 classic Clueless. But behind one of the most memorable characters of the '90s is an actress, writer and mother whose life took turns she never could have imagined.

Elisa joins Steve Kmetko for a candid conversation about landing Clueless, creating Amber from the mean girls she knew growing up, working with Alicia Silverstone, and the Clueless joke she didn't even understand when she delivered it.

She also opens up about Brittany Murphy, sharing a hilarious memory from the Clueless set and revealing the troubling signs she says she witnessed the last time she saw Brittany before her death.

Elisa talks about nearly landing the lead in Showgirls, climbing into bed with Jason Priestley on her first day of Beverly Hills, 90210, her frustration during Sabrina the Teenage Witch, losing her father to cancer, and the extraordinary dreams that changed the way she thinks about grief and death.

Plus, Elisa explains why she believes Hollywood is losing the kinds of movies that once gave actors and storytellers room to take chances.

This is Still Here Hollywood. I'm Steve Kmetko. Join us with today's guest, from Clueless, actor Elisa Donovan.

 

00:00 Elisa Donovan joins Still Here Hollywood

01:54 Knowing she wanted to become an actor

04:04 The personality trait that helped her survive Hollywood

05:32 Her first television break on Blossom

07:01 The Showgirls role she desperately wanted

10:14 Learning from rejection in Hollywood

11:41 Did anyone know Clueless would become a classic?

13:19 The intimidating Clueless audition

15:34 Learning how television really works

15:50 Her first day in bed with Jason Priestley on 90210

18:04 Nearly walking away from acting after Sabrina

19:53 Behind the scenes of Clueless

20:00 Remembering Brittany Murphy on set

22:00 Learning Brittany Murphy had died

22:46 The troubling signs Elisa says she witnessed

25:52 Still Here Hollywood

27:12 Breckin Meyer and remembering Brittany

28:25 The real girls who inspired Amber

30:07 Why Amber was so much fun to play

31:13 How Clueless changed Elisa's life

34:22 The improvised moments that made the movie

35:48 The Clueless joke Elisa didn't understand

36:29 Why Clueless still connects 30 years later

38:09 What Hollywood has lost

41:44 Becoming a writer

44:41 What writing gave her that acting couldn't

46:05 Writing Wake Me When You Leave

48:13 Losing her father and losing her way

50:32 The dreams that changed everything

53:18 Writing through grief

56:01 What Elisa would tell Amber today

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

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Publicist: Maggie Perlich: [email protected]

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