Jackie Birch, a casting director known for her work on films such as “Die Hard,” “Sixteen Candles,” and “The Breakfast Club,” died on October 12 in Atlanta. She was 74 years old.
Birch’s family announced that she passed away after a four-month battle with endometrial cancer. “We are heartbroken and shocked at the prospect of living without our vibrant, charming, funny, special, and incredibly loving mother. Her generous spirit touched so many, both professionally and personally, and we are infinitely proud of the legacy she leaves behind,” the family said in a statement.
Born in Newburgh, New York, Birch began her career as a deaf education teacher in Los Angeles. Birch became interested in the film industry while working as an assistant working for an executive at Universal. She began her casting career in the early 1980s, serving as a casting director on films such as Psycho II, Forbidden World, DC Cab, and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3.
Birch became a frequent collaborator with director John Hughes, overseeing the casting of Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Weird Science.
Birch worked on a variety of films throughout the 1980s, including “The Running Man,” “Dick Tracy,” “Coming to America,” “Three Amigos,” “The Mask,” “42,” and “Hot Shots! Part Deux and the Mafia.” In 1988, Birch cast Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard, which grossed more than $143 million worldwide. Birch continued casting for the 1990 sequel, Die Hard 2.
Throughout the 2010s, Birch oversaw casting for The Hunger Games series, Iron Man 3, Hidden Figures, and Bessie. Her final project, This Is the One They’ll Remember Me By, is scheduled for release in 2026.
In addition to his work as a casting director, Birch was also an active member of the Casting Society and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Birch is survived by daughters Sammy, a screenwriter, and Molly, a former singer-songwriter. sons-in-law, Alex Mechanic and Daley Tolliver, and her twin sister, Janice Papoulos.
