Seasoned film director James Foley, who has directed several high-profile Hollywood movies and music videos, died at 71. Foley, who directed in his sleep early this week after a long struggle with brain cancer, passed away peacefully, according to his publicist, who informed The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
A Diverse Career Spanning Film and Music
Foley had a decades-long career that comprised a varied catalog of work in both music and film. To the general public, he was perhaps most widely known for his work on Fifty Shades Darker (2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (2018), the racy follow-ups to Fifty Shades of Grey. But his work as a director goes back to the 1980s, when he directed the offbeat comedy Who’s That Girl (1987), starring Madonna.
Outside of cinema, Foley also made a significant impact in the music video arena. Pseudonymously known as Peter Percher, Foley directed a number of Madonna’s classic videos such as Live to Tell, Papa Don’t Preach, and True Blue. His artistic partnership with the Queen of Pop didn’t end there he was best man at her 1985 marriage to Sean Penn.
From Film School to a Chance Encounter
Foley’s success in Hollywood was a result of a chance encounter. After graduating from the University of Southern California and NYU, he got his break when he met legendary director Hal Ashby by chance. In an interview with Film Freak Central, Foley explained how Ashby happened to see his student film at a party and was impressed.
“Just as he entered the room, my film was screening on the wall,” Foley stated. “I’ll never know if he was being kind, but he said he enjoyed it and that he was forming a company to make films. He asked what I wanted to do I could write something and direct it.”
That experience paved the way for Foley to join the business, eventually establishing a career characterized by daring decisions and genre-bending productions.
A Legacy Remembered
James Foley’s work in both film and music has had a lasting impact. From mind-bending psychological dramas to international blockbusters and pop culture-defining musical videos, his films captivated several generations. He will not just be remembered for his skill in front of the lens but for the creative gambles that he took during his career.
