Last night, Nora Ephron, writer, director, author, producer, filmmaker extraordinaire died at the age of 71. She was well known for great works such as Sleepless in Seattle, Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally and Julie & Julia.
I found out last night that she has passed away as soon as the story was released because I up late cruising the Internet. When I first saw the headline, I thought it was a mistake. My heart stopped. I couldn't believe my eyes. To be honest, I did not know that Ephron had cancer, but from my knowledge of her, I figured she would be the type of person to live forever. Of course, I never knew her and I have never met her, but she simply seemed like an all-around fun, genuinely kind person who loved to laugh and live life to its fullest.
She was also extremely clever and witty in her speeches and in her writing (see videos below). She was always willing to offer up genuine, heartfelt praise to others for their work. She was selfless. And of course, she always knew exactly what to say to get the crowd laughing. She must have been an amazing person.
I realize that often when people pass away, everyone has the tendency to really exaggerate on the deceased person's amazing qualities in order to preserve their memory. But when I write this, I feel as if it really holds true for who Ephron was as a person and as a woman in the male-dominated worlds of film making and writing. She was truly spectacular. Most importantly, she wasn't afraid to be humbled by those she worked with. She must have had a great collaborative spirit, and she wasn't afraid to integrate new ideas in her writing. She has talked about adding Stanley Tucci's improvised line: "Stuff the hen until she just can't take is anymore" into the final Julie & Julia script by saying "When that happens, when you are the writer, it would be very stupid to say 'What have you done to my script?' I just wrote it down and put it into the final script." Ephron was willing to work with others and humbly share her incredible gifts.
Her work was not always loved by critics (who cares anyway?), but her work was well loved by audiences. I cannot speak for every person who has ever watched an Ephron directed or written film, but I love what I have seen of her work because it is very honest and true to real life. ("I try to write parts for women that are as complicated and interesting as women actually are" -Ephron) She doesn't beat around the bush. She is straightforward and she says exactly what she feels.
As for her romantic comedies, what would the world be like without them?
Ephron was funny, witty, honest, insightful and clever in everything she wrote. Her words will live on in our hearts, because she has captured our hearts through her writing and her work. I had an art teacher who once said "Words cannot just be spat into the air and forgotten." Granted, my art teacher was speaking about bullying and how we have to watch what we say. But I think this holds true, Ephron words will still linger on, even though she has unfortunately passed away. Her work will live on. Her words and her presence in our lives will not be forgotten. She had a great spirit and she knew how to live her life to its fullest. A spirit like hers cannot die. So, here, today and now, in honor of Ephron: "Be the heroine of your life, not the victim" (Ephron).
*Of course I have to somehow bring this around to Meryl Streep. Ephron and Streep worked together three times on Heartburn (based on Ephron's novel), Silkwood and Julie & Julia. Streep says that "Nora looked at every situation and cocked her head and thought 'Hmmmm, how can I make this more fun?'" Streep also says that "You could call her for anything: doctors, restaurants, recipes, speeches or just a few jokes, and we all did, constantly. She was an expert in all the departments of living well." More of famous friends' final words on Nora Ephron can be seen on USA Today's website (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2012/06/meryl-streep-on-ephron-how-can-i-make-this-more-fun-/1#.T-tABbVtrE0)
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| Courtesy of one of the greatest websites ever: simplystreep.com |
And for Nora Ephron's greatest hits (in trailer form): http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-nora-ephron-greatest-hits-video-compilation-20120626,0,3304097.story
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"My mother wanted us to understand that the tragedies of your life one day have the potential to be comic stories the next."
--Nora Ephron
Here's yet another link: Nora Ephron's 27 best quotes: http://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/nora-ephrons-21-best-quotes-on-love-life-and-de
Here's yet another link: Nora Ephron's 27 best quotes: http://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/nora-ephrons-21-best-quotes-on-love-life-and-de
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