James Foley, director of Fifty Shades of Grey dies at 71

James Foley, director of films like the Fifty Shades of Grey sequels and 1992’s Glengarry Glen Ross, has died at age 71.

The Brooklyn-born director, who worked with stars ranging from Sean Penn and Madonna to Al Pacino and Halle Berry, died of brain cancer earlier this week, his rep told The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

Among his most high-profile films is Glengarry Glen Ross, which earned Pacino an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award. The star-studded cast also featured Alec Baldwin, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin.

Foley also helmed the Fifty Shade sequels Fifty Shades Darker (2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (2018) adapted from E.L. James‘ novels and starring Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele and Jamie Dorman as Christian Grey.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Foley shared why he was interested in taking over the sequels after Sam Taylor-Johnson directed the first entry.

“I was intrigued by the dynamics of what goes on between this particular man and this particular woman,” Foley said in the interview. “I was particularly intrigued about how the power dynamic shifts back and forth in Darker and how that affects their emotional relationship and everything else. And I just thought it was an opportunity to do something which had a sort of psychological intrigue to it — psychological and sexual obviously.”

Other notable projects for Foley include his first feature, 1984’s musical drama Reckless, and At Close Range, starring Penn, 64, and Christopher Walken. The latter featured Madonna’s song “Live to Tell.” Foley would go on to direct the now 66-year-old singer in several music videos as well as her feature film Who’s That Girl.

For television, Foley was behind an episode of the original Twin Peaks, and also oversaw 12 episodes of House of Cards. He also directed episodes for Hannibal, Billions and Wayward Pines.