- Alexandre Desplat
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Alexandre Desplat Birth name Alexandre Michel Gérard Desplat Born August 23, 1961
Paris, FranceOccupations Composer, orchestrator, conductor Website alexandredesplat.net Alexandre Michel Gérard Desplat (born 23 August 1961) is a French film composer. He has received four Academy Award nominations, five BAFTA nominations and five Golden Globe nominations, winning a Golden Globe for his work on The Painted Veil in 2006. In 2011, Desplat won his first British Academy Film Award for his score for The King's Speech. Among various projects, Desplat has worked on a variety of Hollywood films including The Queen, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Golden Compass, New Moon, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2.
Contents
Early life
Desplat was born in Paris to a French father and a Greek mother who met at the University of California, Berkeley.[1] After their marriage, they moved back to France, where Alexandre was born. Alexandre is the younger brother of Vic Desplat. At the age of five, he began playing piano. He also became proficient on trumpet and flute. He studied with Claude Ballif, Iannis Xenakis in France and Jack Hayes in the U.S. Desplat's musical interests were wide, and he was also influenced by South American and African artists and teachers, among whom were Carlinhos Brown and Ray Lema. Desplat swiftly became skilled, both as a performer and a composer.
Career
Desplat has composed extensively for French cinema, Hollywood, and incidental music for over 100 films including Lapse of Memory (1992), Family Express (1992), Regarde Les Hommes Tomber (1994), Les Péchés Mortels (1995), César-nominated Un Héros Très Discret (1996), Une Minute de Silence (1998), Sweet Revenge (1998), Le Château des Singes (1999), Home Sweet Home (2001), Reines d'un Jour (2001), the César-nominated Sur mes lèvres (2002), Rire et Châtiment (2003), Césars-Winning The Beat That My Heart Skipped (2005), The Queen (2006), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010), The Ghost writer (2010), Daniel Auteuil's remake of La Fille du Puisatier (2011), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011).
Desplat has composed individual songs that have been sung in films by such artists as Akhenaton, Kate Beckinsale, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Valérie Lemercier, Miosotis, and Catherine Ringer. He has also written music for the theatre, including pieces performed at the Comédie Française. Desplat has conducted performances of his music played by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Munich Symphony Orchestra. Desplat has also given Master Classes at La Sorbonne in Paris and the Royal College of Music in London.
In 2007, he composed the scores for Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass; Zach Helm's directorial debut Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium with American composer Aaron Zigman; and the Ang Lee movie Lust, Caution. Prior to these break-out works, he contributed scores for The Luzhin Defence, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Syriana, Birth, Hostage, Casanova, The Nest and The Painted Veil, for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Music, and the 2006 World Soundtrack Award. He won the 2007 BMI Film Music Award, 2007 World Soundtrack Award, 2007 European Film Award, and received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score for The Queen. He also won the Silver Berlin Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for Best Film Music in The Beat that My Heart Skipped. In 2008, Desplat received his second Oscar nomination for David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Desplat received his third Oscar nomination and a BAFTA nomination for Fantastic Mr. Fox in 2010, both of which were won by Michael Giacchino for Up.
Recently, Desplat has composed music for Largo Winch, based on the Belgian comic; Afterwards a French-Canadian psychological thriller film directed by Gilles Bourdos in English; Anne Fontaine's Coco avant Chanel based on the life of designer Coco Chanel; Robert Guédiguian's L'Armée du Crime; Cheri, reuniting him with director Stephen Frears, whom he collaborated with on The Queen; Un Prophète reuniting with director Jacques Audiard; Julie & Julia directed by Nora Ephron; Fantastic Mr. Fox, directed by Wes Anderson and based on the novel by Roald Dahl; New Moon, directed by Chris Weitz; Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer (film); Tamara Drewe; The Special Relationship; and The King's Speech which earned Desplat his fourth Oscar nomination.
In early 2011, Desplat began to write the music to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. He reunited with director David Yates, who offered Desplat the opportunity to score the second part after his work on the Part 1 soundtrack "enchanted everyone in the control room".[2][3] Desplat's soundtrack sequel to the 2008 film Largo Winch was released in 2011 and was well received.
Desplat's 2011 projects include The Tree of Life, directed by Terrence Malick (which he actually recorded in early 2010), A Better Life, La Fille du Puisatier, George Clooney's The Ides of March, and The Spider's House.
Filmography (English Language)
- The Revengers' Comedies (1998)
- The Luzhin Defence (2000)
- Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
- Birth (2004)
- The Upside of Anger (2005)
- Hostage (2005)
- Casanova (2005)
- Syriana (2005)
- The Alibi (2006)
- Firewall (2006)
- The Queen (2006)
- The Painted Veil (2006)
- Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)
- The Golden Compass (2007)
- Afterwards (2008)
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
- Julie & Julia (2009)
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
- The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
- The Ghost Writer (2010)
- The Special Relationship (2010)
- Tamara Drewe (2010)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010)
- The King's Speech (2010)
- The Tree of Life (2011)
- A Better Life (2011)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)
- The Ides of March (2011)
- Carnage (2011)
- My Week with Marilyn - [Marilyn's Theme] (2011)
- The Spider's House (2012)
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2012)
Filmography (selected – other language(s))
- Une autre femme [France (original title)]
- Tous les chagrins se ressemblent (2002) [French (original title)]
- Paroles d'étoiles (2002) [French (original title)]
- Rire et châtiment [France (original title)]
- Les baisers des autres (2003) [French (original title)]
- Le pacte du silence (2003) [French (original title)]
- Virus au paradis (2003) [French (original title)]
- Eager Bodies (2003) [Les corps impatients – France (original title)]
- Les beaux jours (2003) [French (original title)]
- A Sight for Sore Eyes (2003) [Inquiétudes – France (original title)]
- Le pays des enfants perdus (2004) [French (original title)]
- L'enquête Corse (2004) [French (original title)]
- À boire (2004)[French (original title)]
- Tu vas rire, mais je te quitte (2005) [French (original title)]
- The Beat That My Heart Skipped (2005) [De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté – France (original title)]
- Une aventure (2005)
- Lies & Alibis (2006) [The Alibi – Netherlands (original title)]
- The Valet (2006) [La doublure – France (original title)]
- Quand j'étais chanteur (2006) [French (original title)]
- Michou d'Auber (2007) [French (original title)]
- Ségo et Sarko sont dans un bateau... (2007) [French (original title)]
- L'Ennemi Intime (2007) – French (original title)
- Lust, Caution (2007) Se, jie – Chinese (original title)
- Largo Winch (2008)
- Coco Before Chanel (2009) [Coco avant Chanel – France (original title)]
- A Prophet (2009) [Un prophète – France (original title)]
- The Army of Crime (2009) [L'armée du crime – France (original title)]
- La Fille du Puisatier (2011)
- Largo Winch 2 (2011)
Awards and nominations
César Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result 1997 A Self-Made Hero Best Music Written for a Film Nominated 2002 Sur mes lèvres Best Music Written for a Film Nominated 2006 The Beat That My Heart Skipped Best Music Written for a Film Won 2008 L'ennemi intime Best Music Written for a Film Nominated 2010 A Prophet Best Music Written for a Film Nominated 2011 The Ghost Writer Best Music Written for a Film Won Academy Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result 2007 The Queen Best Original Score Nominated 2009 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Best Original Score Nominated 2010 Fantastic Mr. Fox Best Original Score Nominated 2011 The King's Speech Best Original Score Nominated Golden Globes
Year Nominated work Award Result 2004 Girl with a Pearl Earring (film) Best Original Score Nominated 2006 Syriana (film) Best Original Score Nominated 2007 The Painted Veil Best Original Score Won 2009 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film) Best Original Score Nominated 2011 The King's Speech Best Original Score Nominated BAFTA
Year Nominated work Award Result 2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring (film) Best Music Nominated 2006 The Queen (film) Best Music Nominated 2009 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film) Best Music Nominated 2010 Fantastic Mr. Fox (film) Best Music Nominated 2011 The King's Speech Best Music Won Awards
- 2005 Silver Berlin Bear for Best Film Music – The Beat That My Heart Skipped
- 2006 César Award for Best Music Written for a Film (Meilleure musique écrite pour un film) – The Beat That My Heart Skipped
- 2006 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Music – The Painted Veil and The Queen
- 2007 Golden Globe for Best Original Score – Motion Picture – The Painted Veil
- 2007 BMI Film Music Award – The Queen
- 2007 European Film Award for Best Composer – The Queen
- 2007 Golden Horse Award for Best Original Film Score – Lust, Caution
- 2007 World Soundtrack Award for Film Composer of the Year – The Queen and The Painted Veil
- 2008 Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Score – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 BMI Film Music Award – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Score of the Year – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 World Soundtrack Award for Film Composer of the Year – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Coco Before Chanel, Largo Winch and Chéri
- 2010 Étoile d'Or for Best Music (Meilleure musique) – A Prophet, The Army of Crime, Afterwards, Coco Before Chanel and Chéri
- 2010 IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for a Drama Film – The King's Speech
- 2010 IFMCA Award for Film Composer of the Year
- 2010 IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film – The Ghost Writer
- 2011 BAFTA Film Award for Best Film Music – The King's Speech
- 2011 Sammy Film Music Award for Best New Film Score – The King's Speech
- 2011 César Award for Best Music Written for a Film (Meilleure musique écrite pour un film) – The Ghost Writer
Nominations
- 1997 César Award for Best Music Written for a Film (Meilleure musique écrite pour un film) – A Self-Made Hero
- 2002 César Award for Best Music Written for a Film (Meilleure musique écrite pour un film) – Sur mes lèvres
- 2004 Golden Globe for Best Original Score – Motion Picture – Girl with a Pearl Earring
- 2004 Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music – Girl with a Pearl Earring
- 2004 European Film Award for Best Composer – Girl with a Pearl Earring
- 2005 Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Score – Birth
- 2006 Étoile d'Or for Best Music (Meilleure musique) – The Beat That My Heart Skipped
- 2006 Golden Globe for Best Original Score – Motion Picture – Syriana
- 2006 Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score – The Queen
- 2007 Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score – Lust, Caution
- 2007 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score – The Queen (film)
- 2007 Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music – The Queen (film)
- 2008 César Award for Best Music Written for a Film (Meilleure musique écrite pour un film) – L'Ennemi Intime
- 2008 Étoile d'Or for Best Music (Meilleure musique) – L'ennemi intime
- 2008 Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2008 Critics Choice Award for Best Composer – Lust, Caution
- 2008 Asian Film Award for Best Composer – Lust, Caution
- 2008 World Soundtrack Award for Film Composer of the Year – The Golden Compass
- 2009 Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Score – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 Golden Globe for Best Original Score – Motion Picture – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 European Film Award for Best Composer – Coco Before Chanel
- 2009 Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score – Fantastic Mr. Fox (film)
- 2009 Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Score – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 Critic Choice Award for Best Composer – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 Saturn Award for Best Music – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2009 BAFTA Film Award for Best Music – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2010 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score – Fantastic Mr. Fox
- 2010 Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 2010 BAFTA Film Award for Best Music – Fantastic Mr. Fox (film)
- 2010 César Award for Best Music Written for a Film (Meilleure musique écrite pour un film) – A Prophet
- 2010 Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Score – Fantastic Mr. Fox
- 2010 Satellite Award for Best Original Score – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
- 2011 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score – The King's Speech
- 2010 IFMCA Award for Film Score of the Year – The King's Speech, The Ghost Writer
- 2010 IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
- 2010 IFMCA Award for Film Music Composition of the Year – Truth About Ruth from The Ghost Writer
References
- ^ Burlingame, Jon (7 January 2007). "Thinking in Colors and Textures, Then Writing in Music". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/movies/07burl.html. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
- ^ Herrera, Monica; Lipshutz, Jason; Mapes, Jillian (25 January 2011). "Reznor, Rahman, Zimmer & More React to Their Oscar Nominations". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/news/reznor-rahman-zimmer-more-react-to-their-1005011812.story. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
- ^ David Yates: Desplat "enchanted"[dead link]
External links
- Alexandre Desplat, official website (French) (English)
- Alexandre Desplat, fan website (French) (English)
- Alexandre Desplat at the Internet Movie Database
BAFTA Award for Best Film Music (2000–2019) Tan Dun (2000) · Craig Armstrong and Marius de Vries (2001) · Philip Glass (2002) · T-Bone Burnett and Gabriel Yared (2003) · Gustavo Santaolalla (2004) · John Williams (2005) · Gustavo Santaolalla (2006) · Christopher Gunning (2007) · A. R. Rahman (2008) · Michael Giacchino (2009) · Alexandre Desplat (2010)
Complete list · (1968–1979) · (1980–1999) · (2000–2019) Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score (1990–2009) The Sheltering Sky - Richard Horowitz, Ryuichi Sakamoto (1990) · Beauty and the Beast - Alan Menken (1991) · Aladdin - Alan Menken (1992) · Heaven & Earth - Kitarō (1993) · The Lion King - Hans Zimmer (1994) · A Walk in the Clouds - Maurice Jarre (1995) · The English Patient - Gabriel Yared (1996) · Titanic - James Horner (1997) · The Truman Show - Burkhard Dallwitz, Philip Glass (1998) · The Legend of 1900 - Ennio Morricone (1999) · Gladiator - Lisa Gerrard, Hans Zimmer (2000) · Moulin Rouge! - Craig Armstrong (2001) · Frida - Elliot Goldenthal (2002) · The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Howard Shore (2003) · The Aviator - Howard Shore (2004) · Memoirs of a Geisha - John Williams (2005) · The Painted Veil - Alexandre Desplat (2006) · Atonement - Dario Marianelli (2007) · Slumdog Millionaire - A. R. Rahman (2008) · Up- Michael Giacchino (2009)
Complete List · (1947–1969) · (1970–1989) · (1990–2009) · (2010–2029) Categories:- 1961 births
- Academics of the Royal College of Music
- European Film Awards winners (people)
- Musicians from Paris
- French film score composers
- Living people
- French people of Greek descent
- Harry Potter music
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