Thomas Newman

A member of the famed Newman dynasty of Hollywood composers and industry players, Thomas Newman provided memorable scores for several of the greatest films of his era. While early compositions for such 1980s offerings as "Desperately Seeking Susan" (1985) and "The Lost Boys" (1987) relied heavily on electronics, Newman's later efforts on projects like "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994) embraced a more traditional, orchestral sound. Work with frequent collaborator, director Sam Mendes, on the dysfunctional family drama "American Beauty" (1999) earned him widespread critical praise. Though he dealt primarily with film, Newman often intermixed feature work like the score to director Steven Soderbergh's "Erin Brockovich" (2000) with crafting music for such highly regarded television programs as "Six Feet Under" (HBO, 2001-05). Other highlights of an already admirable career included the compositions for Mendes' gangster drama "Road to Perdition" (2002) and two of Pixar's most beloved animated features, "Finding Nemo" (2004) and "WALL-E" (2008). Another partnership with Mendes on the 23rd James Bond film "Skyfall" (2012) once again garnered the composer industry-wide accolades for his stirring score. Newman's signature sound brought together the past, present and future of film composition, gradually securing his status as one of Hollywood's most accomplished and innovative composers.