Who Was Annie Murphy Before Playing Alexis Rose On 'Schitt's Creek'?

Posted by Martina Birk on Saturday, July 13, 2024

Breaking out in film or television can happen when people least expect it. It could take years or it could even be an overnight success, but there is no denying that few things in life come close to the satisfaction of reaching the top.

Annie Murphy is a legitimate television star now that Schitt’s Creek has become a huge hit, but things weren’t always this way. Prior to landing the role of Alexis Rose on the show, the Annie Murphy we know now was going through a major struggle that nearly changed everything.

Let’s take a look and see who Annie Murphy was before Schitt’s Creek.

She Was A Struggling Actress

Schitt’s Creek has been a revelation since catching on with major audiences, but long before the show came around and conquered the small screen, Annie Murphy was an actress that was struggling to find a breakthrough role and was even considering a change in profession.

According to IMDb, Murphy had landed roles in projects, but there was nothing that helped her establish a name in the business. Prior to Schitt’s Creek, she did have a two-episode stint on Blue Mountain State, but that was perhaps the biggest role that she had prior to becoming Alexis Rose.

At one point, things got so bad for Murphy that she was all but done with acting. She had little money to her name and was realizing that maybe becoming a star was simply not in the cards for her. In fact, the star would elaborate on this when speaking with Kelly Clarkson on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

She told the former American Idol winner, “Just before Schitt’s Creek, things were quite bleak. My house had just burnt down, I had like, $3 in my bank account, I hadn’t worked in close to two years. And I had just blown my very first screen test — like blown it, blown it, blown it.”

“I had just found myself crying in the Pacific Ocean, a very snotty cry, and the universe was like, ’Don’t do this anymore. This is not for you,” she continued.

Thankfully, the actress would land some work shortly after this moment, including a role that saw her step into the studio to make some music.

Related: Here’s Why Stevie Budd Is The Best Character On ‘Schitt’s Creek’

She Released Music With The Plateaus

It’s not too common for a television series to release music, but every now and again, a show will be willing to take that plunge. This was the scenario that Annie Murphy found herself in back in 2015.

Per IMDb, Murphy was on the series The Plateaus, which was a fictional look at a band trying to figure things out after their lead singer hit the road. The show was not a sustained success, having ran for only one year, but it did see Murphy release a single with the fictional group.

The song “Yng Luv” was the one and only single that the group released, and the song can be found online. No, it did not become a chart-topper that went on to turn the band into a powerhouse, but it is cool to see that Murphy was willing to get in the studio to make some music. Turns out, this is something that would take place once again for her character on Schitt’s Creek.

Related: The Unique Inspiration Behind ‘Schitt’s Creek’

Schitt’s Creek Changes Everything

Despite the struggles that Annie Murphy would face along the way, eventually, she made her way onto a successful show that changed her life forever. Initially, Abby Elliott had the role, but once she dropped out for another project, Murphy was able to get the gig and never look back.

“Thank God she was a successful actress who had other things to do. I owe my career to Abby’s career,” Murphy would say about Elliott’s departure from the role.

Since breaking out, Schitt’s Creek has only grown in popularity. The Canadian series really took off once it made its way to Netflix, and the streaming giant has been reaping the benefits of carrying the show ever since. Even though the show could have easily continued, a conscious decision was made to end things while they were still making quality content, which is a respectable decision.

As it stands now, Annie Murphy is a bigger name than she has ever been, and it is only a matter of time before she starts to cash in on her newfound fame. According to IMDb, the actress is currently filming the series Kevin Can F*** Himself. Little is known about the show, but it is said to be flipping the script on the classic sitcom wife and show things through her eyes, according to TVLine.

Related: Who Was Dan Levy Before ‘Schitt’s Creek’?

It was not an easy path to get to the top, but Annie Murphy overcame her struggles and cemented her place in television history.

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