Curated playlist
Juilliard School alumni
- William HurtBefore William Hurt became an Oscar winner, he studied theology. He earned that degree at Tufts University in 1972.
- Elia KazanIn 1952, Elia Kazan gave a congressional committee the names of eight former colleagues.
- Miles DavisMiles Davis called jazz dead near the end of his life. He had spent five decades helping define it.
- John WilliamsSteven Spielberg laughed at John Williams's two-note Jaws theme, thinking it was a joke.
- Maya HawkeMaya Ray Thurman Hawke was born on the 8th of July 1998 in New York City, and her story starts on a film set before she existed. Her parents, the actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, met while making Gattaca in 1997. They married in May…
- Val KilmerVal Kilmer spent decades being praised in a way that sounded almost like an apology. In 1992, the film critic Roger Ebert remarked, "if there is an award for the most unsung leading man of his generation, Kilmer should get it". By then…
- Robin WilliamsRobin Williams was voted "Most Likely Not to Succeed" by his high school classmates in 1969.
- Adam DriverAdam Driver got into Juilliard after a mountain biking accident ended his Marine service. He had fractured his sternum.
- Kevin SpaceyLate in the 1995 thriller Se7en, Kevin Spacey walks into the story as the serial killer John Doe, and most of the audience had no idea he was coming. His name was missing from the opening credits. It was missing from the film's…
- Kelsey GrammerKelsey Grammer was meant to play Frasier Crane for only six episodes. He kept the role for 20 years across two shows.
- Michael GiacchinoMichael Giacchino used pieces of a real airplane fuselage as instruments on Lost.
- Oscar IsaacOscar Isaac wrote his first play in fifth grade, a Noah's Ark story with a doubtful platypus.
- Beau WillimonBeau Willimon says he was the worst student in his Columbia playwriting class. He later created House of Cards.