Justin Hurwitz | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Hurwitz in 2016 | |
| Born | (1985-01-22)January 22, 1985 (age 40) Los Angeles, California, U.S.[1] |
| Education | Nicolet High School |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, screenwriter |
Justin Hurwitz[2] (born January 22, 1985)[1] is an American film composer and a television writer. He is best known for his longtime collaboration with directorDamien Chazelle, scoring each of his films:Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009),Whiplash (2014),La La Land (2016),First Man (2018), andBabylon (2022).[3][4][5][6]
ForLa La Land, Hurwitz won twoAcademy Awards,Best Original Score andBest Original Song (for "City of Stars"), as well as theGolden Globe Awards forBest Original Score andBest Original Song and theBAFTA Award for Best Film Music.[7] He won two more Golden Globes for Best Original Score forFirst Man andBabylon.[1]
Hurwitz is the son of Gail Hurwitz (née Halabe), a professional ballet dancer turned registered nurse, and Ken Hurwitz, a writer.[8][9][10] He is ofJewish heritage (from Russia, Poland,Damascus inSyria, andBeirut inLebanon).[11][12][13][14][15] His family moved to Wisconsin in 1998,[9] where he attendedNicolet High School.[16][17]
Hurwitz attendedHarvard University, where he was roommates with directorDamien Chazelle.[18] They collaborated on a student film that would becomeGuy and Madeline on a Park Bench, which was released in 2009.[9][6] While in school, Hurwitz was a member of theHarvard Lampoon and was an original member of the indie-pop bandChester French with Chazelle.[19]
After college, Hurwitz and Chazelle moved to Los Angeles, where Hurwitz wrote comedy for the sitcomThe League and one episode of the animated comedy TV seriesThe Simpsons.[9] Thanks to the success ofGuy and Madeline, they were able to obtain financing for their next collaboration, the 2014 filmWhiplash – with Hurwitz scoring the film and Chazelle writing and directing.[9] Hurwitz also scored Chazelle's 2016 filmLa La Land, for which Chazelle won the Oscar forBest Director, and Hurwitz won two Oscars forBest Original Score andBest Original Song. Hurwitz, Pasek, and Paul will return as songwriters for the upcoming stage musical adaptation of the film, directed byBartlett Sher from a book byAyad Akhtar andMatthew Decker, withMarc Platt andLionsgate returning to produce.[20]
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench | Composer |
| 2014 | Whiplash | |
| 2016 | La La Land | |
| 2018 | First Man | |
| 2022 | Babylon |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Perfect Couples | Writer | Episode: "Perfect Exes" |
| 2011 | The Simpsons | Episode: "The Falcon and the D'ohman" | |
| 2011–2015 | The League | 7 episodes | |
| 2017–2024 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Writer/producer | 12 episodes |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TBA | La La Land |
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Both my children are very proud of their Middle Eastern heritage and culture
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