Mark Mancina

Mark Mancina’s career? Kinda wild, honestly. The guy’s fingerprints are all over Hollywood, but you’d be hard-pressed to find two of his scores that sound alike. He’s got that chameleon thing going on—one minute he’s nailing the gritty vibe of Training Day (people still use that score as a temp track), the next he’s turning action flicks on their head with Speed. And don’t even get me started on Return to Paradise or Moll Flanders—totally different moods, both with his signature twist. The guy’s worked on everything from Twister to Tarzan to Con Air. If you’ve seen a blockbuster in the last thirty years, odds are you’ve heard his work. But movies aren’t even the full story. Mancina’s also a three-time Grammy winner, dipped his toes in Broadway, and basically helped make The Lion King a musical juggernaut. Hans Zimmer saw something in him way back and had him arrange Elton John tracks for the original Lion King. Those songs? Multi-platinum. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “Hakuna Matata” would not be what they are without Mancina’s touch. He even cowrote “He Lives in You,” which became a key part of the Broadway show’s DNA. Born in Santa Monica, he’s been playing instruments since he was a kid—guitar, piano, you name it. He studied classical guitar, jammed with Yes, worked with Seal, and helped craft that lush Tarzan soundtrack with Phil Collins. The guy just doesn’t miss.