Justin Hurwitz
Justin Hurwitz (born January 22, 1985) is an American film composer and television writer. He is best known for his longtime friendship and collaboration with director Damien Chazelle, scoring each of his films: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), Whiplash (2014), La La Land (2016), First Man (2018), and Babylon (2022). For La La Land, Hurwitz won two Academy Awards, Best Original Score and Best Original Song (for "City of Stars"), as well as Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music.
Also recorded as Justin Gabriel Hurwitz
Justin Hurwitz

MarinSD · Emma Stone, Justin Hurwitz, Damien Chazelle · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Name
- Justin Hurwitz
- Born
- 22 January 1985
- Birthplace
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Education
- Nicolet High School
- Occupation
- Composer, Writer
- Full name
- Justin Gabriel Hurwitz.
- Nationality
- United States.
- Fields
- film score.
- Known for
- Whiplash and First Man.
- Honours
- Academy Award for Best Original Score and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
Justin Hurwitz (born January 22, 1985) is an American film composer and television writer. He is best known for his longtime friendship and collaboration with director Damien Chazelle, scoring each of his films: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), Whiplash (2014), La La Land (2016), First Man (2018), and Babylon (2022). For La La Land, Hurwitz won two Academy Awards, Best Original Score and Best Original Song (for "City of Stars"), as well as Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music.
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Justin Hurwitz (born 1985) is a composer, film score composer and screenwriter, among other activities, of American nationality. The composer was born Justin Gabriel Hurwitz in Los Angeles.
Justin Hurwitz was educated at Harvard University and Nicolet High School. Activity centred on film score.
Among the works are First Man and Whiplash. Languages used include English. Honours include Academy Award for Best Original Score and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q21012756 · wikipedia · Justin Hurwitz
In this article
Biography
Biography
He has won two Grammy Awards for La La Land, one for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and another one for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. He won two additional Golden Globes for Original Score for First Man and Babylon.
Justin Hurwitz studied at Harvard University and Nicolet High School. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is film score. Peter Bernstein, Joel Goldsmith and Joseph Williams are recorded as an influence. Works named in the authority record are Whiplash and First Man. Distinctions recorded are Academy Award for Best Original Score and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.

Emma Stone, Justin Hurwitz, Damien Chazelle on 39th Mill Valley Film Festival
MarinSD · Emma Stone, Justin Hurwitz, Damien Chazelle

Emma Stone, Justin Hurwitz, Damien Chazelle on 39th Mill Valley Film Festival
MarinSD · Emma Stone, Justin Hurwitz, Damien Chazelle
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Justin Hurwitz • Born — 22 January 1985 • Birthplace — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Education — Nicolet High School • Alma Mater — Harvard University • Occupation — Composer, Writer
Early life
Early life
Hurwitz is the son of Gail Hurwitz (née Halabe), a professional ballet dancer turned registered nurse, and Ken Hurwitz, a writer. He is of Russian, Polish, Syrian and Lebanese Jewish descent. His family moved to Wisconsin in 1998, where he attended Nicolet High School. Hurwitz attended Harvard University, where he was roommates with director Damien Chazelle. They collaborated on a student film that would become Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, which was released in 2009. While in college, Hurwitz was a member of the Harvard Lampoon, and was an original member of the indie-pop band Chester French with Chazelle.
Career
Career
After graduating college, Hurwitz and Chazelle moved to Los Angeles, where Hurwitz wrote comedy for the sitcom The League and one episode of the animated comedy TV series The Simpsons. After the success of Guy and Madeline, they were able to obtain financing for their next collaboration, the 2014 film Whiplash – with Hurwitz scoring the film and Chazelle writing and directing. The film was a box office success, grossing over $50 million on a $3.3 million budget during its original theatrical run. Hurwitz also scored Chazelle's 2016 film La La Land, for which Chazelle won the Academy Award for Best Director, and Hurwitz won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Hurwitz will return as songwriters for the upcoming stage musical adaptation of the film, directed by Bartlett Sher from a book by Ayad Akhtar and Matthew Decker, with Marc Platt and Lionsgate returning to produce.
Television
Television
• 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
Musicals
Musicals
• Year — Title — Notes • TBA — La La Land — | * Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul * Book by Ayad Akhtar and Matthew Decker
Films
• Year — Film — Role • 2009 — Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench — Composer • 2014 — Whiplash • 2016 — La La Land • 2018 — First Man • 2022 — Babylon
Collections and holdings
Where the work is held
Collections and holdings
Institutional holdings are recorded as follows.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Justin Hurwitz”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q21012756: Justin Hurwitz
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Justin Hurwitz. Golden Globes.
- 2.Justin Hurwitz wins best original score in a motion picture at Golden Globes. The Hollywood Reporter. 8 January 2017.
- 3.Atkinson, Katie. Justin Hurwitz Continues Perfect Golden Globes Streak With ‘Babylon’ Best Original Score Win. Billboard. 2023-01-11.
- 4.Bloom, Nate. The tribe goes to the Oscars. Jweekly. February 13, 2017.
- 5.Bloom, Nate. News go to the Oscars; Justin Hurwitz's proud Marin mom; etc. Jweekly. February 27, 2017.
- 6.Levy, Piet. Oscar-nominated 'La La Land' composer Justin Hurwitz got his start in Milwaukee. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. February 17, 2017.
- 7.Wolfisz, Francine. La La Land: Who knew it was so Jewish?. Jewish News.
- 8.How did Jewish talent fare at the Golden Globes?. The Jerusalem Post. 2017-01-09.
- 9.Jewish Telegraph Agency: "Oscars 2017: 7 unexpected Jewish facts" By Gabe Friedman February 23, 2017
- 10.LedgerOnline. ‘La La Land’s Jewish composer nominated for Oscar. Jewish Ledger. January 25, 2017.
- 11.Chris Foran. Nicolet's Justin Hurwitz wins 2 Golden Globes. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. January 9, 2017.
- 12.Rook, Brandon. Nicolet HS graduate wins 2 Golden Globes. TMJ4 News. 2017-01-09.
- 13.Abrams, Bryan. Whiplash Composer Justin Hurwitz Settles the Score. Motion Picture Association. 2014-09-23.
- 14.Phares, Heather. Chester French - Biography. Allmusic.
- 15.Whiplash. Box Office Mojo.
- 16.Galuppo, Mia. 'La La Land' to Become a Broadway Musical. The Hollywood Reporter. February 7, 2023.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
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General reference
Further particulars
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This entry is compiled from 5 catalogued sources across 4 independent registers. The registers consulted are Internet Archive, DOAJ, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Every statement above is held against the register that stated it; where the registers are silent, the entry is silent.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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