Sigh! Melissa Mathison, Oscar Nominated E.T Screenwriter Dies At 65

Melissa Mathison, the Oscar nominated and the 1982 classic, E.T screenwriter died at the age of 65 in Los Angeles. The screenwriter and associate producer for many movies died on Wednesday, November 5, 2015, due to illness. Her brother Drick confirmed.

Melissa had worked on many other children novels inspired movies besides E.T. Her most recent work was for Spielberg's big project, The BFG. The movie is in production currently and is set to release in 2016. Melissa was also an Activist for Tibet freedom.

The American screenwriter was Oscar nominated for her original screenplay for the all time classic E.T: Extra Terrestrial. She worked on other famous movies such as, 'The Blackstation', 'Kundun', 'The Indian in the Cupboard' and 'Twiligh Zone'.

Remembering Melissa, the director and creator of E.T, Spielberg said, "Melissa had a heart that shined with generosity and love and burned as bright as the heart she gave E.T." The movie was a blockbuster and one of its kind.

Once in an interview, Melissa explained on the DVD edition of 1982 E.T, "I would write for four or five days in my little office in Hollywood, and then drive out to Marina Del Rey where Steven Spielberg was editing in a little apartment on the beach."

Spielberg said, Melissa presented him with a draft of 107 pages for the movie E.T. He finished reading it in an hour's time and was willing to shoot the right next day. According to the film-maker, her script was honest and very close to the heart.

Melissa is survived by her two children, a son who is a musician and a daughter who is an actress. She had both her children with the ex-husband, Harris Ford. The couple was married for 18 years. They filed for a divorce in 2001.

Ford and her divorce was one of the costliest in the history of celebrity marriage splits. There was no prenup. But, in 2004, Melissa won a huge amount pay out from her ex-husband Ford. Supposedly between $85 Million and $118 Million.