Nora Ephron was born in Manhattan into a family of four sisters, all of whom became writers (sister Delia was a frequent collaborator). Ephron first worked as a journalist, holding down a position as an intern in the John F. Kennedy White House and working with the mail at the magazine Newsweek, and wrote for the New York Post, Esquire and the New York Times Magazine. She broke into screenwriting when her then-husband Carl Bernstein asked her to edit the script for the film adaptation of "All The President's Men," and while her treatment went unused, it led to Hollywood becoming interested in her writing talents.
One of the early films she wrote was the 1983 movie "Silkwood," which was based on the real-life Karen Silkwood who tried to bring to the attention of the public the dangerous working conditions at the nuclear plant where she was employed. The film starred Meryl Streep as Silkwood, Cher as Karen's roommate Dolly, and Kurt Russell as Karen's boyfriend Drew. The movie was nominated for five Oscars, one for Streep as Best Actress, another for Cher for Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay for Ephron and Alice Arlen, Best Director for Mike Nichols and Best Film Editing, for Sam O'Steen.
Great line: "I remember in high school, her saying, 'Now what'd you want to take that science class for? There's no girls in that science class. You take home ec, why don't you? That's the way to meet the nice boys.' 'Mom,' I said, There ain't no boys in home ec. The boys are in the science class.' She hated when I said 'ain't.'" –Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep)
