Thomas Newman

Thomas Newman’s father was legendary composer Alfred Newman, who won nine Academy Awards for his scores for such films as The King and I and Camelot.

∙ Multiple members of Newman’s family are involved in music and film scoring, including his cousin—noted singer-songwriter Randy Newman.
∙ His first music-scoring gigs included an episode of the TV series The Paper Chase and the 1984 film Reckless.
∙ Composer John Williams personally asked Newman to create music for Darth Vader’s death scene in Return of the Jedi.
∙ He has scored films for such directors as Ron Howard, Robert Altman, Steven Soderbergh, and Sam Mendes.
∙ In 2002, Newman won an Emmy Award (Outstanding Main Title Theme Music) for the series Six Feet Under.
∙ He has won six Grammy Awards, including one for the WALL-E song “Down to Earth,” which he cowrote with Peter Gabriel.