Lowcountry residents react to Nora Ephron’s passing

Nora Ephron, who entertained people nationwide with her humorous essays and films, died at 71 Tuesday from pneumonia caused by acute myeloid leukemia. Her memory is kept alive by her fans around the world, including those in Charleston.

“I feel that Hollywood lost a great luminary,” said Jonathan Kammer of Mount Pleasant. “Her movies were very quirky and lighthearted.”

“I was surprised to hear that she died,” said Karol Ann Davis of West Ashley. “She was like a ‘woman in a man’s world’ with her filmmaking and writing.”

Ephron is known to the public as a screenwriter and director. She was an Academy Award nominee for her screenplays for “Sleepless in Seattle,” “You’ve Got Mail” and “When Harry Met Sally.”

In addition to writing screenplays and directing movies, Ephron also wrote a collection of essays as well as the 2002 play “Imaginary Friends.”

“I always thought of her more as a writer than a filmmaker,” said Sue Holloman of Johns Island. “But she was capable of doing the whole gamut.”

Ephron is perhaps noted primarily for her romantic comedies in which she addressed various relationship questions such as whether a man and woman can just be friends.

“She did a great job with trying to convey everybody in a romantic relationship who are trying to decide what they want,” said Danielle Gianakas, an employee at the Terrace Theater on James Island.

“It’s very sad that she’s gone because I feel that she understood that side of humanity very well,” Gianakas said.

Ephron also was known for her quick wit, finding humor in her everyday life from being a mother to working as an intern in the John F. Kennedy Administration.

“I thought she was marvelous with her comedy and films that really captured human nature,” said Edward James of Charleston.

“She had a nice way of looking at things,” said Michael Hall of James Island. “She gave us a view of the world that we all want.”

Reach Tyler Simpson at 937-5925 or @tylersimpsonmix on Twitter.