Ileen Maisel, the BAFTA-nominated film producer, passed away at the age of 68 after battling cancer. Her sister, Cheryl Maisel, reported that she passed away on February 16, 2024, while she was staying at her residence in London. She is recognised for her work on a variety of films, including The Golden Compass, Ripley’s Game, and Onegin, which led her to be nominated for the Best British Film award at the BAFTAs.
Maisel initiated her professional life at the young age of 15, serving the entertainment journalist Rona Barrett. After gaining pertinent experience, she became the Head of Development at Frank Yablans’ autonomous production company in 1980. Following Yablans’ promotion to Vice Chairman and COO of MGM/United Artists, Maisel joined him at the corporation. Subsequently, she became part of Lorimar, where she contributed to the production of Dangerous Liaisons, which attained three Oscars.
After working at Paramount and Fine Line, Maisel became the Senior Vice President of European Production and Acquisitions at New Line, her sister company. Afterward, she co-founded Amber Entertainment with Lawrence Elman, an alternative movie production company based in the UK. Amber Entertainment was responsible for Romeo and Juliet, which was produced in 2013 and featured Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth, with the screenplay adapted by Lord Julian Fellowes.
Fellowes, renowned for his work on co-scripting Downton Abbey, appreciated Maisel when he received an Oscar for Gosford Park in 2002. Fellowes wrote a tribute piece for Deadline and claimed that Maisel’s role in the film’s creation was superior due to her long-term companion Mary Selway being appointed as the casting director by Robert Altman. Fellowes directly thanked Maisel from the Oscar stage in 2002. Maisel’s entire world was film and TV shows, and she was proudest of Ripley’s Game, which she produced with John Malkovich for New Line in the same year.
Selway, Maisel’s partner, an English casting director, passed away in 2004 after encountering cancer. Maisel, who was born on January 24, 1956, will always be remembered for her remarkable contributions to the film industry
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