SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Laura Ziskin, the woman who produced “Pretty Woman” and the “Spider-Man” films, died Sunday at age 61.
Ziskin — the first woman to produce the Academy Awards telecast solo, in 2002 — had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
She passed away at her home in Santa Monica in California.
Ziskin was a prominent campaigner for cancer research, helping to create the Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) movement along with Katie Couric and several other well-known figures.
Couric said, “Laura was one of the most courageous people I’ve ever known. Her fearlessness in the face of this relentless killer inspires everyone on the SU2C team to redouble our efforts to make cancer history.”