Ephron made her first substantial mark in Hollywood as the writer of the 1983 biopic, "Silkwood," for which she earned the first of her three career Oscar nominations.
Author, screenwriter and director Nora Ephron is seen at her home in New York in 2010. "When Harry Met Sally" screenwriter Nora Ephron has died in Manhattan after a battle with leukemia, the New York Times reported. She was 71.
Ephron was best known for writing books like "Heartburn" and "Crazy Salad" and for the movies "When Harry Met Sally," ''Sleepless in Seattle" and most recently "Julie & Julia." She won best screenplay at the Writers Guild of America Awards in 2009 for "Julie & Julia."
"Heartburn," starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, chronicled her own dissolving marriage with journalist Carl Bernstein and was based on the novel of the same name.
Ephron is survived by two sons, Jacob and Max Bernstein.
Word of Ephron's illness leaked earlier today when columnist and friend Liz Smith published an online tribute to the writer-director, eonline.com reported.
A former journalist herself, Ephron made her first substantial mark in Hollywood as the writer of the 1983 biopic, "Silkwood, "for which she earned the first of her three career Oscar nominations.