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