---
name: "David Byrne"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/david-byrne"
fi1m_id: "david-byrne"
imdb_id: "nm0126154"
tmdb_id: 3078
wikidata_id: "Q336640"
roles: ["Songs"]
born: "14 May 1952"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-12T20:13:13.373387+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# David Byrne

## Identity

David Byrne

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/david-byrne
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** david-byrne
- **IMDb ID:** nm0126154
- **TMDB ID:** 3078
- **Wikidata ID:** Q336640
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Byrne, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336640, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0126154/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3078

Songs. Born 14 May 1952 in Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Songs
- **Born:** 14 May 1952, Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, UK
- **Active:** 1986–present
- **Also known as:** Talking Heads
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 2 acting, 4 crew
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 1 nominated)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 83 (3), 2020s 64 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 74 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Action 1, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Documentary 1, Drama 1
- **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $192m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Byrne, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336640, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0126154/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3078

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*The Last Emperor*](https://film.one/film/the-last-emperor.md) (80)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

David Byrne is a Scottish-born musician and composer. Born on 14 May 1952 in Dumbarton, Scotland, he moved to the United States as a child. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer and guitarist of the band Talking Heads, which he co-founded in New York in 1975.

Byrne has released solo recordings and worked across film, theatre and other media. He composed music for the film *The Last Emperor* (1987) with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su; the score won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. He also wrote, directed and starred in *True Stories* (1986) and composed for films including *Something Wild* (1986) and *Young Adam* (2003). Talking Heads were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, davidbyrne.com, moviemusicuk.us.*

## On Fi1m (6)

### Performed in (2)

- *The Twits* (2025), Fi1m 45, as Gordon Sniffles (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-twits.md)
- *The Simpsons* (1989), Fi1m 88, as David Byrne (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)

### Crew (4) — the average rests on these

- *Musk* (2026), Fi1m 70, Songs — [page](https://film.one/film/musk.md)
- *Everything Everywhere All at Once* (2022), Fi1m 77, Songs — [page](https://film.one/film/everything-everywhere-all-at-once.md)
- *The Last Emperor* (1987), Fi1m 80, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-emperor.md)
- *Something Wild* (1986), Fi1m 82, Main Title Theme Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/something-wild.md)

## Complete filmography (56)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Musk* (2026), as Songs — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/musk.md)
- *The Twits* (2025), as Gordon Sniffles (voice), Songs — Fi1m 45, [page](https://film.one/film/the-twits.md)
- *John Mulaney: Baby J* (2023), Original Music Composer, Musician
- *Everything Everywhere All at Once* (2022), as Songs — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/everything-everywhere-all-at-once.md)
- *Social! Distance Dance Club* (2021), Actor
- *David Byrne's American Utopia* (2020), Music, Executive Producer, Writer, Producer
- *John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch* (2019), as David Byrne
- *Triple-Chaser* (2019), as Narrator
- *Hream* (2019), as David Byrne
- *Real Life* (2018), as Narrator / Self
- *Contemporary Color* (2016), as Producer
- *Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World* (2016), Musician
- *Temporary Color* (2016), Actor
- *We're Gonna Die* (2015), as David Byrne
- *La Casa del Ritmo: A Film About Los Amigos Invisibles* (2012), Actor
- *Talking Heads - Chronology* (2011), Actor
- *This Must Be the Place* (2011), as David Byrne · Original Music Composer
- *Tom Zé: Liberated Astronaut* (2009), Actor
- *New York Rock at the BBC* (2008), Actor
- *Untitled Patton/Byrne Piece* (2008), Actor
- *The Vanguard* (2008), Original Music Composer
- *Îlé Aiyé* (2004), Director
- *She Hate Me* (2004), Thanks
- *Dennis Cleveland* (2004), Actor
- *David Byrne: Live At Union Chapel* (2003), Actor
- *Young Adam* (2003), Original Music Composer
- *The Truth About Charlie* (2002), Thanks
- *In Spite of Wishing and Wanting* (2002), Music, Lyricist
- *The Art of Amália* (2000), as Introduction (English version)
- *PJ Harvey: Sessions at West 54th* (1998), Actor
- *Lulu on the Bridge* (1998), as "Laughing Man" Escort
- *After 68* (1994), Second Assistant Director
- *Between the Teeth* (1993), Director
- *Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter* (1990), Director
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as David Byrne (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Plymptoons: The Complete Early Works of Bill Plympton* (1989), series, Music
- *Umbabarauma* (1989), Producer
- *Checking Out* (1988), as Bartender
- *Married to the Mob* (1988), Original Music Composer
- *Talking Heads: Storytelling Giant* (1988), Director, Writer
- *The Last Emperor* (1987), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-emperor.md)
- *Robert Wilson and the Civil Wars* (1987), Actor
- *Something Wild* (1986), Main Title Theme Composer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/something-wild.md)
- *True Stories* (1986), Narrator / Lip-Syncher, Director, Writer, Songs, Original Music Composer
- *The Kitchen Presents: Two Moon July* (1986), Actor
- *Dead End Kids* (1986), as Minister
- *Alive from Off Center* (1985), series, as Theme Song Performance
- *Stop Making Sense* (1984), Original Music Composer, Sound Supervisor
- *Talking Heads: The Name of this Programme is Once In A Lifetime* (1984), Creative Consultant
- *Talking Heads: Live at Montreux Jazz Festival* (1982), Actor
- *The Catherine Wheel* (1982), Music
- *Mea Culpa* (1981), Music
- *America Is Waiting* (1981), Music
- *Talking Heads: Rock Pop in Concert* (1981), Actor
- *Talking Heads: 77*, Actor
- *David Byrne: Who Is The Sky?*, Producer, Music

## Gallery

- ![David Byrne](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-46a3ed8b0d75.jpg) David Byrne — Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/David_Byrne_San_Diego.jpg/1280px-David_Byrne_San_Diego.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Built in 1921, the Chicago Theater was the flagship of the Balaban and Katz (B&K) theaters (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-1c57257cc85c.jpg) Built in 1921, the Chicago Theater was the flagship of the Balaban and Katz (B&K) theaters (2012) — Jeff Jondahl, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balaban_and_Katz_Chicago_Theatre.jpg/1280px-Balaban_and_Katz_Chicago_Theatre.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Denise Barroso (Lonita Renaux) e David Byrne at Madame Satã, night club, São Paulo, 1986.](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-0a799a6d5590.jpg) Denise Barroso (Lonita Renaux) e David Byrne at Madame Satã, night club, São Paulo, 1986. — LSToledo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Barroso-Byrne-Madame_Sat%C3%A3%2C_1986.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![David Byrne 1, Stop Making Sense event, TIFF, Scotiabank Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2023)](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-939828c335bd.jpg) David Byrne 1, Stop Making Sense event, TIFF, Scotiabank Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2023) — Cory Doctorow from Beautiful Downtown Burbank, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/David_Byrne_1%2C_Stop_Making_Sense_event%2C_TIFF%2C_Scotiabank_Theatre%2C_Toronto%2C_Ontario%2C_Canada_%2853182682608%29.jpg/1280px-David_Byrne_1%2C_Stop_Making_Sense_event%2C_TIFF%2C_Scotiabank_Theatre%2C_Toronto%2C_Ontario%2C_Canada_%2853182682608%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![David Byrne](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-6faacaf1d34a.jpg) David Byrne — Image via TMDB
- ![David Byrne](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-1cf18219c4df.jpg) David Byrne — Image via TMDB
- ![David Byrne](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-356ed7feb620.jpg) David Byrne — Image via TMDB
- ![David Byrne 2, Stop Making Sense event, TIFF, Scotiabank Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2023)](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-fdd43e253e22.jpg) David Byrne 2, Stop Making Sense event, TIFF, Scotiabank Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2023) — Cory Doctorow from Beautiful Downtown Burbank, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/David_Byrne_2%2C_Stop_Making_Sense_event%2C_TIFF%2C_Scotiabank_Theatre%2C_Toronto%2C_Ontario%2C_Canada_%2853182371254%29.jpg/1280px-David_Byrne_2%2C_Stop_Making_Sense_event%2C_TIFF%2C_Scotiabank_Theatre%2C_Toronto%2C_Ontario%2C_Canada_%2853182371254%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![David Byrne at Theater 11, Zürich (American Utopia Tour) (2018)](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-194030432799.jpg) David Byrne at Theater 11, Zürich (American Utopia Tour) (2018) — Dirk Haun, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/David_Byrne_2018.jpg/1280px-David_Byrne_2018.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![David Byrne](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-6b060dfd667a.jpg) David Byrne — Image via TMDB
- ![David Byrne](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-4aae917b2ec5.jpg) David Byrne — Image via TMDB
- ![David Byrne](https://film.one/media/person/119100/gallery-9c70786d82e5.jpg) David Byrne — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 1 nominated

- 2023: Best Original Song (nominated), for *This Is a Life*
- 1988: Best Original Score (won), for *The Last Emperor*

### Other awards — 1 won, 1 nominated

- Tony Award for Best Original Score 2024: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *Here Lies Love*
- Webby Lifetime Achievement Award 2008: Webby Lifetime Achievement Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/david-byrne