Henry Jackman on Captain Phillips, the BAFTAs and learning from Hans Zimmer

16 February 2014, 15:23

The BAFTA-nominated composer of the soundtrack for Captain Phillips talks to Classic FM about his chances in the forthcoming awards, and how the score itself came to be.

After scoring action epics like X-Men: First Class, British composer Henry Jackman's career has been in the ascendent in the last few years. Undoubtedly, though, he's reached a new high with the score for the Tom Hanks action epic Captain Phillips - so much so that it's earned him a coveted BAFTA nomination.

Jackman took some time out ahead of the ceremony to tell Classic FM's Sam Pittis about his chances in the awards, and how the score itself is so different to run-of-the-mill action movie music.

On the score itself, he says: "It would've been completely inappropriate, musically, to have grand thematic music that instructs the audience what to think… it can't be sentimental."

He also opens up about his reverence for fellow BAFTA nominees Steven Price and John Williams, describing the latter as a huge early influence. Oh, and the octotonic harmonies in the score to Predator, obviously. 

Listen to the interview here.