# James Foley (director)

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. 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. 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”.

## Career

In 1984, Foley made his directorial debut with Reckless, which starred Aidan Quinn and Daryl Hannah. He directed Glengarry Glen Ross in 1992. The Corruptor, his action film starring Chow Yun-Fat and Mark Wahlberg, was released in 1999. His 2003 film, Confidence, starred Edward Burns. He directed Perfect Stranger, a thriller film starring Halle Berry, in 2007. He has also directed for television, including 12 episodes of the Netflix series House of Cards. He often collaborates with cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchía, having made 5 films with him, as well as Madonna's "Live to Tell" music video.

## Filmography

Film
* Reckless (1984)
* At Close Range (1986)
* Who's That Girl (1987)
* After Dark, My Sweet (1990) (Also writer)
* Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
* Two Bits (1995)
* The Chamber (1996)
* Fear (1996)
* The Corruptor (1999)
* Confidence (2003)
* Perfect Stranger (2007)
* Fifty Shades Darker (2017)
* Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
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"):
* "Live to Tell" (1986)
* "Papa Don't Preach" (1986)
* "True Blue" (1986)
Foley was also the best man at Madonna's wedding to Sean Penn, although as of 2025 they are not on speaking terms.

## 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 | Worst Director | Nominated |
| 2019 | Fifty Shades Freed | Worst Director | 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 |