26 Facts About Thomas Newman

Thomas Montgomery Newman was born on October 20,1955 and is an American composer, conductor and orchestrator.

Thomas Newman is best known for his film scores, earning accolades of six Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, two BAFTA Film Awards, and 15 nominations for Academy Awards.

Thomas Newman has collaborated with directors such as Robert Altman, Jon Avnet, Martin Brest, Frank Darabont, Todd Field, John Lee Hancock, John Madden, Sam Mendes, Andrew Stanton, and Steven Soderbergh.

Thomas Newman is a member of a film-scoring dynasty in Hollywood that includes his father Alfred, older brother David Newman, younger sister Maria Newman, uncles Lionel Newman and Emil Newman, cousin Randy Newman, and his first cousin once removed, Joey Newman.

Thomas Newman later studied composition and orchestration for two years at the University of Southern California, before transferring to Yale University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1977 and a Master of Music in 1978.

At first, Thomas Newman was more interested in musical theater than in film composition, working with Sondheim in Broadway plays.

In 1992, Thomas Newman composed the scores for The Player and Scent of a Woman.

In 1999, Thomas Newman composed the score to American Beauty, created using mainly percussion instruments; this was the first of several collaborations with director Sam Mendes.

Thomas Newman received a fourth Oscar nomination for this score, and although he lost again, he did receive a Grammy and a BAFTA.

Thomas Newman was nominated consecutively for a further three Academy Awards, for Road to Perdition, Finding Nemo, and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.

At the Oscar ceremony, he appeared in the opening segment by Errol Morris, who jokingly stated that Thomas Newman had been nominated for and failed to win an Oscar eight times.

Thomas Newman replied: "No, I've failed seven but this will be my eighth", and indeed, he again lost, this time to Gustavo Santaolalla for Babel.

Thomas Newman received two Oscar nominations: one for Best Original Score, and another for Best Original Song for "Down to Earth", which he co-wrote with Peter Gabriel.

Thomas Newman was nominated in the Original Score category with two other veteran composers, James Newton Howard and Danny Elfman, both of whom have been nominated for several Oscars but each time unsuccessfully.

In 2012, Thomas Newman scored The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a second collaboration with John Madden after The Debt.

Thomas Newman scored the 23rd James Bond movie Skyfall, released on the film franchise's 50th anniversary.

In 2015, he scored The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, marking the first time Thomas Newman has scored a sequel to a film he wrote the score for.

Also that year, Thomas Newman returned to score the 24th James Bond movie Spectre, the sequel to Skyfall and a continuation of his longtime collaboration with Sam Mendes.

Thomas Newman worked with Steven Spielberg for Bridge of Spies, marking Newman's first collaboration with Spielberg and the first Spielberg film not to feature a musical score from his long-time composer John Williams, since the production of The Color Purple in 1985.

In 2016, Thomas Newman scored Passengers, for which he received his 14th Oscar nomination.

Three years later, Thomas Newman reunited with Sam Mendes for his war film 1917, for which Thomas Newman received his 6th BAFTA and 15th Oscar nominations.

Thomas Newman is fond of incorporating unusual instruments such as the zither, hurdy-gurdy, psaltery and hammered dulcimer, or unexpected sounds, like Aboriginal chants and the chirping of cicadas.

Thomas Newman has been nominated for fifteen Academy Awards, tying him with fellow composer Alex North for the most nominations without a win.

Thomas Newman has been nominated for four Golden Globes, and has won two BAFTAs, six Grammys and an Emmy Award.

Thomas Newman was honored with the Richard Kirk award at the 2000 BMI Film and TV Awards.

Thomas Newman's achievements have contributed to the Newmans being the most nominated Academy Award extended family, with a collective 92 nominations in various music categories.