Gustavo Alfredo Santaolalla (born 19 August 1951) is an Argentine musician, widely recognized as a musician, composer, and record producer. His work spans film, television and video games, and he has been active internationally since the late 20th century.
Film and media work
Santaolalla has composed scores for numerous films, notably collaborating with director Alejandro González Iñárritu. He wrote the music for the first four feature films that Iñárritu directed, establishing a long-standing creative partnership. Beyond cinema, Santaolalla created the musical themes for several television series, including the theme for Jane the Virgin. He also composed the score for the acclaimed documentary series Making a Murderer, which premiered in 2015.
Work in video games
In the realm of video games, Santaolalla is known for composing the atmospheric score for the action-adventure title The Last of Us (2013) and for its 2020 sequel, contributions that brought his film-style sensibilities to interactive storytelling.
Awards and recognition
Santaolalla has received major international honors for his composing. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in consecutive years: first for Brokeback Mountain (2005) and then for Babel (2006). He has also been awarded BAFTAs for his work on Babel and on The Motorcycle Diaries.