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James Foley (director)

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James Foley
Born (1953-12-28) December 28, 1953 (age 70)
OccupationFilm director
Years active1984–present

James Foley (born December 28, 1953) is an American film director. His 1986 film At Close Range was entered into the 36th Berlin International Film Festival.[1] Other films he has directed include Glengarry Glen Ross, based on the play of the same name by David Mamet, and The Chamber, based on the novel of the same name by author John Grisham. He also directed the two sequels to Fifty Shades of Grey: Fifty Shades Darker (2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (2018).

Early life

Foley was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, the son of a lawyer.[2] He graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo, a flagship school of the SUNY system, in 1978. He continued his education earning an M.F.A in film study and production from the University of Southern California. During his final year there, acclaimed director Hal Ashby noticed his student film when it was projected on the wall during a film-school projection party and urged him to write something for Ashby's newly formed production company. Unfortunately the company went broke before Foley finished writing, but the stamp of approval was enough to get his career started with his first directing gig on the low budget 1984 teen drama Reckless. In his own assessment Foley says “Because Hal Ashby had hired me, I became viable in that weird calculus of Hollywood just because someone else who was respected thought that I was viable”.[3]

Career

In 1984, Foley made his directorial debut with Reckless, which starred Aidan Quinn and Daryl Hannah.[4] He directed Glengarry Glen Ross in 1992.[5] The Corruptor, his action film starring Chow Yun-Fat and Mark Wahlberg, was released in 1999.[6] His 2003 film, Confidence, starred Edward Burns.[7] He directed Perfect Stranger, a thriller film starring Halle Berry, in 2007.[8] He has also directed for television, including 12 episodes of the Netflix series House of Cards.[9]

Filmography

Film

Television

Year Title Notes
1991 Twin Peaks Episode "Wounds and Scars"
1997 Gun Episode "The Shot"
2004 Hollywood Division TV movie
2013 Hannibal Episode "Sorbet"
2013–2015 House of Cards 12 episodes
2014 Red Zone TV movie
2015 Wayward Pines Episode "The Truth"
2016 Billions Episodes "Short Squeeze" and "The Deal"

Music videos

Besides the film Who's That Girl (1987), Foley directed the following music videos for Madonna (under the pseudonym "Peter Percher"):

Foley was also the best man at Madonna's wedding to Sean Penn.

Awards and nominations

Berlin Film Festival
Year Nominated work Category Result
1986 At Close Range Golden Bear Award Nominated
Deauville American Film Festival
Year Nominated work Category Result
1992 Glengarry Glen Ross Critics Award Nominated
Golden Raspberry Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result
1988 Who's That Girl Worst Director Nominated
2018 Fifty Shades Darker Nominated
2019 Fifty Shades Freed Nominated
Phoenix Film Festival
Year Nominated work Category Result
2003 Career as director and screenwriter Copper Wing Tribute Won
Venice Film Festival
Year Nominated work Category Result
1992 Glengarry Glen Ross Golden Lion Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Berlinale: 1986 Programme". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2011-01-14.
  2. ^ James Foley Biography (1953-)
  3. ^ Free, Erin (9 February 2022). "Unsung Auteurs: James Foley". FilmInk.com.au. FilmInk Magazine. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  4. ^ Maslin, Janet (February 3, 1984). "The Screen - Reckless". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Scarano, Ross (July 3, 2014). "Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) - The 100 Best Movies Streaming on Netflix Right Now". Complex. Archived from the original on July 21, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  6. ^ Levy, Emanuel (March 11, 1999). "Review: 'The Corruptor'". Variety.
  7. ^ Fuchs, Cynthia (April 24, 2003). "Confidence (2003)". PopMatters.
  8. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (April 13, 2007). "Perfect Stranger". The Guardian.
  9. ^ "James Foley". IMDb. Retrieved June 1, 2023.