Filmmaker Nora Ephron dies at 71

Nora EphronNora Ephron, the writer/director behind celebrated Hollywood rom-coms such as “Sleepless in Seattle” and “When Harry Met Sally…”, died today after a six-year battle with leukemia. She was 71.

Ephron, who began as an essayist and novelist in the 1970s, penned her first theatrical screenplay nearly three decades ago, for Mike Nichols’ 1983 film “Silkwood,” which went on to earn her an Oscar nomination. She later received two more nods, but never took home a golden statue.

Ephron made the transition to directing movies in 1992, with “That’s My Life,” which she also co-wrote with her sister, Delia (a frequent collaborator). But it wasn’t until the following year that she really made a name for herself behind the camera with “Sleepless in Seattle.”

Ephron’s last movie was 2009’s “Julie & Julia,” starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. She is survived by her husband, the author Nicholas Pileggi (“Goodfellas”), and two children from a previous marriage to Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein.