James Foley, the director of two films in the Fifty Shades of Grey series, has passed away at the age of 71.
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A spokesman for Foley told the BBC the veteran director died “peacefully in his sleep earlier this week” at his home in Los Angeles after a “years-long struggle” with brain cancer.
Per IMDb, Foley directed three iconic Madonna music videos in the 1980s: “Papa Don’t Preach,” “Live to Tell,” and “True Blue.” He also helmed 12 episodes of the critically acclaimed political thriller House of Cards, one of Netflix’s earliest and most successful original series.
The director made his debut in 1984 with the film Reckless, featuring standout performances by Daryl Hannah and Aidan Quinn. His impressive filmography also includes critically acclaimed titles such as Glengarry Glen Ross, Fear, Confidence, Perfect Stranger, and The Corruptor.
Foley did not helm the first Fifty Shades of Grey film. However, he joined the franchise to direct its sequels, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed. He stepped in after Sam Taylor-Johnson, who directed the original movie, departed from the series.
The film series, adapted from E.L. James’s best-selling books, became a massive box office hit. It also catapulted its lead actors, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, to stardom.
James Foley Directed Madonna in One of Her Earliest Big-Screen Roles
In 1986, Foley directed three music videos for Madonna under the pseudonym Peter Percher. However, he reverted to his real name the following year when collaborating with Madonna on the film Who’s That Girl. In the movie, the pop icon portrayed a woman wrongly accused of murdering her boyfriend.
Foley also lent his directorial talents to acclaimed TV series, including Twin Peaks, Billions, and Hannibal.
Foley is survived by his brother Kevin, his sisters Eileen and Jo Ann, and his nephew Quinn, who is engaged to Antea Kalinic. He was preceded in death by his brother, Gerard, who was married to Ann Marie Quinn Foley.