James Foley dead: Legendary Hollywood director dies after tragic brain cancer battle

James Foley, who directed several of Madonna's music videos as well as her 1987 film Who's That Girl, has died at the age of 71 after a year long battle with brain cancer his family confirmed. While an official cause of death has not been revealed he died "peacefully in his sleep earlier this week".

He had worked with music icon Madonna, 66, on the video for her 1984 song Dress You Up and her concert tour Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour before launching his movie career. He would go on to direct her videos for Live To Tell, Papa Don't Preach and True Blue as well as the title song from Who's That Girl. Alongside his work with the music icon he also directed the two Fifty Shades of Grey sequels and numerous other movies incuding including Glengarry Glen Ross and At Close Range. On the small screen he directed shows including episodes of Twin Peaks and Netflix’s House of Cards.

Tributes flooded in for the star as the news became public. Writing on Facebook one person simply said: "RIP, James Foley. One of my favorite directors."

"RIP James Foley, director of "Glengarry Glen Ross" and "At Close Range" (a movie with an ending that just GUTTED me). Also made a lot of Madonna's early videos. Absolutely underrated talent," anotehr added.

"RIP James Foley, director of two of my favorite movies, ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' and ''At Close Range,'' a third chimed in. "Who’s That Girl was so much fun. Can’t count how many times I watched that when I was young," a fourth penned.

"RIP James Foley. At Close Range is just one of those movies… once seen never forgotten. One of the best American films of the 80’s..The score by Patrick Leonard and Madonna is my favorite thing she’s ever done and it just drips with atmosphere," a fifth offered. Meanwhile a sixth wrote: "If the only two things James Foley had directed were Glengarry Glen Ross and At Close Range, he would still be a legend. RIP."

He made his movie directing debut with 1984's Reckless, whch starred Madonna's Desperately Seeking Susan co-star Aidan Quinn and Daryl Hannah.

Following that he helmed 1986's At Close Range starring her then husband Sean Penn, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and was nominated for its Golden Bear prize.

He would enjoy his biggest commercial success with Fifty Shades Darker (2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (2018), the sequels to the global hit Fifty Shades of Grey. Combined they grossed $714 million worldwide, though neither reached the box office heights of the 2015 original.

He is survived by brother Kevin Foley and sister-in-law Mary Anne Myers, his sisters sisters Eileen and Jo Ann Foley, and nephew Quinn Foley and his fiancée Antea Kalinic.