Who Was James Foley? All About Renowned Director of Fifty Shades Darker and House of Cards as He Passes Away at 71

Trigger Warning: Mention of death.

James Foley has passed away at the age of 71 after a long-term battle with brain cancer. Foley, who has directed films like Fear, House of Cards, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed, died in his Los Angeles home.

According to Variety, the renowned filmmaker had been fighting brain cancer for a year. He took his last breath on May 6, 2025.

Foley started his career as a movie director in 1984 with the romantic drama Reckless, which starred Aidan Quinn and Daryl Hannah. He then directed the film At Close Range, which had Sean Penn and Christopher Walken as its lead actors. The film included Madonna's song Live to Tell. Madonna and Penn were married at that time.

Foley also collaborated on some music videos with Madonna, including Live to Tell (1986), Papa Don't Preach (1986), and True Blue (1986). Moreover, Foley helmed her feature film, a screwball comedy, titled Who's That Girl in 1987. The film did not do well, but Foley referred to it as a significant learning experience. "It was a major life experience. That first failure is so shocking," Foley once told FilmInk.

His most famous movie is Glengarry Glen Ross, which came out in 1992. It was an adaptation of a play by David Mamet. Al Pacino received an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award for his performance. The film also packed a star-studded cast, which included Alec Baldwin, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, and Alan Arkin.

In television, the Brooklyn native showcased his mastery while directing 12 episodes of House of Cards, and then he went on to direct for Hannibal, Billions, Wayward Pines and more. He is also famous for directing the two blockbuster sequels of Fifty Shades of Grey.

James Foley is survived by his brother, Kevin, sisters Eileen and Jo Ann, and nephew Quinn.

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