48. GUSTAVO SANTAOLALLA
AGE 55
JOB TITLE Composer
SMART BECAUSE He altered Hollywood's aural landscape. Santaolalla's hauntingly spare, intimate scores for Brokeback Mountain and Babel — which both earned him Oscars — proved you don't need a rousing horn section or soaring strings to move an audience. He's the anti–John Williams, capable of breaking hearts with a single guitar.
WORTH NOTING Composed the Brokeback score based on the script alone, and plays by ear. He can't read music.
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