Nancy Seltzer, Veteran Publicist For Stars Like Garth Brooks, Dies At 79

Nancy Seltzer, a respected publicist in the entertainment industry with high-profile clients such as Garth Brooks, Plácido Domingo, Whitney Houston and the late Sean Connery, died on Wednesday, Jan. 28, following a brief hospital stay in Los Angeles. She was 79.

Seltzer moved from New York to L.A. to run her boutique publicity firm, Nancy Seltzer & Associates, working with talent across music, film, television, and literature. With over five decades of experience, she established herself as a legend in the industry “with integrity, dogged determination and purpose,” according to an obituary posted on Garth Brooks’ website.

“Public relations is the hardest job in show business,” Brooks said. “She always handled every situation with the utmost class.”

Seltzer’s experience in working with major actors led her to run the Academy Award red carpet for many years.

She also represented several notable films and ran Academy Awards campaigns for several, including Pirates of the Caribbean, All That Jazz, RoboCop, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, Scream, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Silence of the Lambs, The Shawshank Redemption and Dead Man Walking.

“She wore publicist black like a uniform and kept the focus exactly where she believed it belonged: on her clients. Her integrity was contagious,” the obit on Brooks’ site said. “Her protective instincts were legendary — maternal, fierce, and unflinching. Her wisdom, earned through decades of experience, was unmatched. … Those who worked alongside her understood the gravitas that she carried — and the grace with which she carried it.

“In an industry built on visibility, Nancy Seltzer chose discretion. In a business driven by ego, she led with loyalty. … And in moments that demanded strength, she offered calm. Her absence will be deeply felt — not only for what she did, but for how she did it.”