Filmmaker James Foley, who directed the Fifty Shades Of Grey sequels and drama Glengarry Glen Ross, has died aged 71.
A Representative told The Hollywood Reporter that Foley passed away “peacefully in his sleep earlier this week” at his home in Los Angeles after a “years-long struggle” with brain cancer.
Born in Brooklyn in 1953, Foley worked for more than three decades in film, television, and music videos. One of his more notable collaborations was with Madonna, whom he worked with in the ‘80s on a trio of music videos (‘Live To Tell’, ‘Papa Don’t Preach’, and ‘True Blue’) before directing the star in 1987’s Who’s That Girl.
In the ‘90s, he would direct the corporate drama Glengarry Glen Ross, about four real estate salesman desperately fighting to save their jobs. The film was not a box office success but became a cult classic, earning an Oscar nomination for star Al Pacino and becoming one of co-star Alec Baldwin’s most celebrated roles, with his famous “Coffee is for closers” speech being reprised by the actor on Saturday Night Live in 2005.
On television, Foley directed episodes of David Lynch classic Twin Peaks, as well as thriller Hannibal starring Mads Mikkelsen and 12 episodes of Netflix hit House Of Cards. He worked on the first three seasons of the political drama, which starred Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
His final work as a director would be the high-profile sequels to 2015’s Fifty Shades Of Grey. After it was announced original director Sam Taylor-Johnson would not return for the follow-ups, Foley was brought in with screenwriter Niall Leonard to make the second and third parts back-to-back in 2016.
Fifty Shades Darker was released in 2017, with the final instalment, Fifty Shades Freed, released the following year. The films made £753million (£568million) combined at the box office.
James Foley is survived by his brother, Kevin; sisters Eileen and Jo Ann; and nephew Quinn.