Movies

James Foley, filmmaker who directed Madonna music videos and ‘Fifty Shades’ sequels, dies at 71

BBG News

Noted director James Foley, who worked on various projects from music videos to TV shows and movies featuring celebrities such as Madonna, Al Pacino, and Bruce Dern, has passed away.

Florent Lamy, speaking for Foley, confirmed the passing of the director – born in Brooklyn – to The Times on Thursday. No specific reason for his death was given by Lamy, but various sources such as the Hollywood Reporter reported that the filmmaker had been fighting brain cancer. At the time of his death, he was 71 years old.

Lamy shared with The Times that James Foley wasn’t just an exceptional filmmaker; he was also a cherished friend,” said Lamy. “Initially, he was one of my initial clients, and eventually, he grew to hold a unique place in my heart.

Television

88-year-old actress Ruth Buzzi, well known for portraying a handbag-carrying old maid character on ‘Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,’ passed away at her Texas residence.

Foley’s distinguished directing journey, featuring movies like “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “At Close Range,” and the “Fifty Shades” follow-ups, took off in the mid-1980s. The film “Reckless” from 1984 was his first directorial effort, allowing him to collaborate with actors Daryl Hannah, Aidan Quinn, and renowned producer-filmmaker Chris Columbus for the first time.

During the subsequent years, Foley took charge of various films, such as “At Close Range” (1986) with Sean Penn and Christopher Walken, and “After Dark, My Sweet” (1990) featuring Dern. Additionally, he created music videos and visuals for Madonna, who was rising to global pop fame during this period. From 1985 to 1990, Foley directed the music videos “Dress You Up” and “True Blue” for Madge. He also helmed both her music video “Who’s That Girl?” and the 1987 comedy film of the same name starring Madonna.

Foley, in addition to his film directing work, created music videos for rock group Deep Purple and Mark Wahlberg’s old rap persona, Marky Mark. He later collaborated with Wahlberg again on the 1996 thriller “Fear” and the 1999 movie “The Corruptor,” alongside Chow Yun-Fat.

Entertainment & Arts

Actress Priscilla Pointer, well-known for her roles in ‘Dallas’, theatre, films, and television, passed away on Monday at the age of 100. She is the mother of Amy Irving, who starred in ‘Crossing Delancey’.

1992 saw Foley taking the helm to bring David Mamet’s play “Glengarry Glen Ross” to the big screen. This was one of Foley’s most renowned works, boasting an illustrious ensemble cast consisting of Pacino, Ed Harris, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, and Jonathan Pryce. Pacino’s performance in this gritty comedy earned him both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.

In his final film projects, Foley’s credits include “Fifty Shades Darker” and “Fifty Shades Freed,” which were highly acclaimed works. After the original director of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Sam Taylor-Johnson, left due to reported disagreements with the book’s author and producer, E.L. James, Foley stepped in to continue the film franchise based on her erotic novels. The films starred Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.

Besides his work on “Fight Club,” Foley has directed episodes for various television series such as “Twin Peaks,” “Hannibal,” “House of Cards” where he collaborated again with Kevin Spacey, and “Billions.” He has also been involved in other shows.

Entertainment & Arts

Actress Lar Park Lincoln, well-recognized for her role in ‘Knots Landing’ and nurturing budding acting talents, passed away this week at the age of 63. According to her studio, she made an indelible impression on Hollywood.

In a 2017 interview with Hollywood Reporter, Foley expressed his satisfaction with the diverse trajectory of his career spanning several decades. “My career has been a winding path filled with highs and lows, twists and turns,” he explained. “I’ve always followed my current interests, and I didn’t give much thought to genre.

He’s stated that he’s generally gone with his instincts, whether it led to good or bad outcomes, often leaning towards the latter. In his view, the most advantageous and disadvantageous aspects of this field are hardly distinguishable. He explained further, “The downside is you get stereotyped, but the upside is I haven’t been. This means that I’m still creating films, even though I’ve jumped around a lot in my career.

Foley is reportedly survived by his brother Kevin, sisters Eileen and Jo Ann, as well as a nephew named Quinn. Unfortunately, his other brother Gerard passed away before him.

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2025-05-09 04:01

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