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Thomas Newman Biography

Birth Name:Thomas Montgomery Newman

Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, United States

Profession Composer, Music department

Fast Facts

Won the Richard Kirk Award at the 2000 BMI Film & Television Awards
Received the 2007 BMI Composer of Vision Award
Was named a Society of Composers & Lyricists Ambassador in 2016
Belongs to a family of composers and musicians that includes Randy, Alfred, David, Lionel and Emil Newman
Got his start in music by learning to play the violin
Studied at the University of Southern California and Yale University
Was mentored by composer Stephen Sondheim after meeting him during his senior year at Yale University
Known for incorporating unusual musical instruments into his scores, including the psaltery, hurdy-gurdy and zither
Best known for his work on the films "WALL-E," "American Beauty" and "The Shawshank Redemption․"
Known for collaborating with directors Andrew Stanton, Steven Soderbergh and Sam Mendes
His score for "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2" was the first time he scored a sequel to a film he previously scored himself

Awards

1987BMI Film Music Award-: winner
1991Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music: nominated
1993BMI Film Music Award-: winner
1994ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
1994BMI Film Music Award-: winner
1995Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1995Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1995BMI Film Music Award-: winner
1995Grammy-Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television: nominated
1996Oscar-Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score: nominated
1997BMI Film Music Award-: winner
1997Grammy-Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television: nominated
1998AFI Award-Best Original Music Score: winner
1998FMCJ Award-Best Original Score for a Drama Film: nominated
1999Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
1999BMI Film Music Award-: winner
1999FCCA Award-Best Music Score: nominated
2000Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2000Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
2000Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music-: winner
2000BMI Film Music Award-: winner
2000BMI Film Music Award-: winner
2000BMI Film Music Award-: winner
2000Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
2000Sierra Award-Best Score: nominated
2000OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2000OFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2001Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: winner
2001OFTA Television Award-Best New Theme Song in a Series: winner
2002ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2002BMI Cable Award-: winner
2002OFTA Television Award-Best New Theme Song in a Series: winner
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Main Title Theme Music: winner
2003Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2003ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2003BMI Cable Award-: winner
2003BMI Film Music Award-: winner
2003PFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2003World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Soundtrack of the Year: nominated
2004Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2004Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
2004Annie-Outstanding Music in an Animated Feature Production: winner
2004BMI Film Music Award-: winner
2004Gold Derby Film Award-Original Score: nominated
2004Hollywood Film Award-Composer of the Year: winner
2004IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Comedy Film: nominated
2004INOCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2004IOMA-Best Original Score (Miglior colonna sonora originale): nominated
2004OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2004Golden Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2005Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2005ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2005BMI Film Music Award-: winner
2005BMI Cable Award-: winner
2005Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: nominated
2005World Soundtrack Award-Soundtrack Composer of the Year: nominated
2006IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Drama Film: nominated
2006Sierra Award-Best Score: winner
2006LAFCA Award-Best Music: nominated
2007Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2007Critics Choice Award-Best Composer: nominated
2008ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2008ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2008CFCA Award-Best Original Score: winner
2008HFCS Award-Best Original Song: winner
2008HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2008IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2008IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Animated Film: winner
2008IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2008Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2008SLFCA Award-Best Music: nominated
2008World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Song Written for a Film: winner
2008World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Soundtrack of the Year: nominated
2009Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song: nominated
2009Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2009Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music-: nominated
2009BMI Film Music Award-: winner
2009Critics Choice Award-Best Song: nominated
2009Gold Derby Film Award-Original Song: nominated
2009Gold Derby Film Award-Original Score: nominated
2009Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
2009Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: nominated
2009Grammy-Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: winner
2009ICS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2009INOCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2009IOFCP Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2009OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Score: winner
2009OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Song: nominated
2009OFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2011HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Feature Film: nominated
2011PFCS Award-Best Original Song: nominated
2012BMI Film Music Award-Film Music: winner
2012Black Reel-Best Song: winner
2012Black Reel-Best Original Score: winner
2012Critics Choice Award-Best Song: nominated
2012Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
2012IFJA Award-Best Musical Score: winner
2012PFCS Award-Best Original Score: winner
2012Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2012World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Song Written for a Film: nominated
2013ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2013Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2013Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
2013ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2013Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music-: winner
2013BMI Film Music Award-Film Music: winner
2013HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2013HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2013IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: winner
2013Halfway Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2013IOMA-Best Original Score (Miglior colonna sonora): winner
2013PFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2013SLFCA Award-Best Music: nominated
2013WAFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2013World Soundtrack Award-Film Composer of the Year: nominated
2013World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Film Score of the Year: nominated
2014Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2014Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music-: nominated
2014COFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2014Critics Choice Award-Best Score: nominated
2014Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: winner
2014HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Feature Film: nominated
2014NYFCO Award-Best Use of Music: winner
2014Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing-: winner
2015Felix-Best Original Score: nominated
2015GoldSpirit Awards-Best Dramatic Score: nominated
2015Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: nominated
2015HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Feature Film: nominated
2015PCC Award-Best Score: nominated
2015PFCS Award-Best Original Score: winner
2015Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2016Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2016BAFTA Film Award-Best Original Music: nominated
2016BMI Film Music Award-Film Music: winner
2016GAFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2016HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Animated Film: nominated
2016IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Documentary Film: nominated
2016IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Comedy Film: nominated
2016OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2016Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2016World Soundtrack Award-Film Composer of the Year: nominated
2017Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score): nominated
2017Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
2017Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: nominated
2017Grammy-Best Instrumental Composition: nominated
2017Hollywood Film Award-Composer of the Year: winner
2018HMMA Award-Best Original Score - TV Show/Limited Series: nominated
2019AFCC Award-Best Original Score: winner
2019CFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2019DFWFCA Award-Best Musical Score: winner
2019FFCC Award-Best Score: nominated
2019LAFCA Award-Best Music: nominated
2019NMFC Award-Best Music/Score: nominated
2019PCC Award-Best Score: nominated
2019PFCS Award-Best Original Score: winner
2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music: nominated
2019SFBAFCC Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2019Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2019SFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2019SLFCA Award-Best Score: winner
2019WAFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2020Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score): nominated
2020AFCA Award-Best Score: winner
2020ACCA-Best Original Score: winner
2020BAFTA Film Award-Original Music: nominated
2020CIC Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2020COFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2020Critics Choice Award-Best Score: nominated
2020DFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2020GAFCA Award-Best Original Score: winner
2020Gold Derby Film Award-Original Score of the Decade: nominated
2020Gold Derby Film Award-Original Score: nominated
2020Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
2020HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2020HCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2020HFCS Award-Best Original Score: winner
2020IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2020IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2020IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: winner
2020IFC Award-Best Original Score: winner
2020LEJA Award-Best Music: winner
2020MCFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2020NCFCA Award-Best Music: nominated
2020OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Score: winner
2020OFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2020World Soundtrack Award-Film Composer of the Year: nominated
2021Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
2021CinEuphoria-Best Original Music - International Competition: nominated
2021Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media: nominated
2023HMMA Award-Best Original Song - Animated Film: nominated
2023IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Comedy Film: nominated
2024Annie-Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature: nominated
2024Astra Award-Best Score: nominated
2024ICFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2024IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Animated Film: nominated
2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music: nominated
2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score): nominated