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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Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com
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Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com
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