Hans Zimmer’s Favorite Film Composer? Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood
Hans Zimmeris a movie soundtrack legend, having scored over 100 films and TV shows, includingThe Dark KnightandMan of Steel. Yet even a mega-composer like Zimmer still gets starstruck. In a recent interview, Zimmer named his own personal favorite film composer: Radiohead’sJonny Greenwood.
Despite his prolific career and world-renown, Zimmer isn’t above geeking out about other film composers. In an interview withCBC Radio(viaIndiewire), Zimmer reveals that his favorite film composer is Jonny Greenwood, lead guitarist of Radiohead. Zimmer even says he was “starstruck” when he first met Greenwood after teaming up with Radiohead for theBlue Planet IIsoundtrack:
“Oh, I’ll just admit it, I was a bit starstruck, He is my favourite film composer.”
Greenwood has composed soundtracks for multiple Paul Thomas Anderson films:There Will Be Blood,The MasterandInherent Vice. Next, Greenwood will compose the score for Anderson’sPhantom Thread. Zimmer recently contributed to the moody soundtrack ofBlade Runner 2049. Below, have a listen to track from Greenwood’sThere Will Be Bloodscore and a track from Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch’sBlade Runner 2049.
At this point in his career, it’s almost surprising when Hans Zimmerisn’tcomposing a film’s soundtrack. The prolific Zimmer has more than 100 soundtracks under his belt, crafting incredibly memorable scores for Christopher Nolan films likeInception,The Dark Knight,Interstellar,Dunkirk, as well as providing soundtracks for big blockbusters likePirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearland Disney classics likeThe Lion King. Zimmer is so good at his job that he’s even able to craft beautiful, sweeping, epic scores for less-than-great films. It seems like Zimmer is almost always working on a new score. But don’t you dare call him a “workaholic.” In an interview with /Film, Zimmer oncesaid:
“I was talking to an interviewer just only a half an hour ago. The guy used the word “workaholic.” I sort of stopped him and I said, “No, no, no. Hang on a second. The operative word in music is ‘play.'” People are always going, “Why are you keeping such crazy hours? You never sleep, or you’re up all night playing music.” Well, kids…if you try to get a kid to bed when they want to go and play with their favorite truck or Legos or whatever, I just never really progressed beyond that. And most of the musicians I know are the same way. We get to play. Just don’t let the grownups know.”
