Renowned American filmmaker James Foley, best known for directing "Glengarry Glen Ross", "House of Cards" and the final two instalments of the "Fifty Shades" franchise, has passed away at the age of 71.

According to a statement from his representative, the Brooklyn-born director died "peacefully in his sleep earlier this week" at his Los Angeles home following a prolonged battle with brain cancer.

Born on December 28, 1953, Foley studied film at New York University before completing his degree at the University of Southern California. His entry into Hollywood came through a chance encounter with celebrated director Hal Ashby during his final year of film school—an incident that would prove pivotal in launching his career.

Foley made his directorial debut with "Reckless" in 1984, starring Aidan Quinn and Daryl Hannah. His collaboration with Madonna began shortly after, directing iconic music videos such as "Dress You Up", "Papa Don't Preach", "True Blue", and "The Look of Love", along with the 1987 film "Who's That Girl", where Madonna starred opposite Griffin Dunne.

He continued to make his mark with films like "At Close Range" (1986), featuring Sean Penn and Christopher Walken, and "After Dark, My Sweet" (1990). Foley also directed an episode of "Twin Peaks" before achieving critical acclaim for "Glengarry Glen Ross" (1992), a David Mamet-penned drama with a star-studded cast including Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, and Alec Baldwin. Pacino earned an Oscar nomination for his role in the film.

In 1995, Foley reunited with Pacino for "Two Bits", followed by the thriller "Fear" in 1996, starring Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon. Although modest at the box office, the film helped propel both actors to stardom. His other directorial credits include "The Chamber", "The Corruptor", "Confidence", and "Perfect Stranger".

After a challenging experience with "Perfect Stranger" (2007), Foley stepped away from film for a period, turning to television. He directed episodes of "Hannibal", and later joined Netflix's "House of Cards", directing 12 episodes. He also directed two episodes of Showtime's "Billions".

Foley returned to feature films with "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed", taking over the franchise from Sam Taylor-Johnson.

Throughout his career, Foley was known for his versatility across genres and platforms. In interviews, he often spoke of his instinct-driven approach to selecting projects and his preference for not being pigeonholed. He also highlighted his focus on character dynamics, particularly male relationships shaped by alienation, loyalty, and betrayal, which echoed throughout his filmography.

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James Foley is survived by his brother Kevin, sisters Eileen and Jo Ann, and nephew Quinn. He was preceded in death by his brother Gerard.