Los Angeles, 1955
Thomas Newman
The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty, Finding Nemo, 1917. Fifteen Oscar nominations and no statuette.
Son of Alfred Newman, who ran music at Fox for two decades, and cousin of Randy Newman: the family with the most Oscar nominations in history. His American Beauty score set the sound of American dramas in the 2000s.
- Style
- Marimba, prepared piano, soft percussion and repeating layers. Music that floats rather than marches.
- Awards
- 15 Oscar nominations without a win (the latest for 1917). BAFTA for Skyfall.
Essential films
- The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
- American Beauty (1999)
- Finding Nemo (2003)
- WALL-E (2008)
- Skyfall (2012)
- 1917 (2019)
Listen
- Dead Already · American BeautySpotifyYouTube
- End Title · The Shawshank RedemptionSpotifyYouTube
- Define Dancing · WALL-ESpotifyYouTube
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Awards counted up to the 2026 Academy Awards. Facts reviewed in October 2026.