Thelma Schoonmaker
Biography
Thelma Schoonmaker is an American film editor. Born on January 3, 1940, in Algiers, French Algeria, she is known for her collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. Schoonmaker has worked on numerous films, including those since Raging Bull in 1980. She has received several accolades, including three Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and four ACE Eddie Awards. Schoonmaker has also been honored with the British Film Institute Fellowship, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, and the BAFTA Fellowship. She has edited 73 films and is a recipient of nine Academy Award nominations for Best Film Editing.
Career overview
Thelma Schoonmaker is a renowned American film editor, best known for her long-term collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. She has worked with Scorsese on numerous films, starting with his debut feature film, Who's That Knocking at My Door, in 1967. However, it was her work on Raging Bull, released in 1980, that marked the beginning of her extensive collaboration with Scorsese.
Throughout her career, Schoonmaker has edited all of Scorsese's films since Raging Bull, showcasing her expertise and dedication to the craft. Her work with Scorsese has earned her numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and four ACE Eddie Awards. She has also been honored with the British Film Institute Fellowship in 1997 and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2014.
Schoonmaker's impressive career spans over five decades, with a total of 73 known credits. Her work as a film editor has been recognized globally, and she remains one of the most respected and accomplished editors in the industry. Her collaboration with Martin Scorsese has been a defining aspect of her career, resulting in some of the most iconic and critically acclaimed films of all time.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
75 titles- Killers of the Flower Moon: A Historic Collaboration (2026) as Self
- Dog with a Movie Camera (2026)
- Mr. Scorsese (2025) as Self
- Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger (2024) Executive Producer
- Visions, Dreams and Magic: The Unmade Films of Michael Powell (2024)
- Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) Editor
- "Echoes of the Soil": The Unsung Stars of Gone to Earth (2023) Thanks
- The Right Stuff (2020) Consulting Producer
- The Collaboration of a Lifetime: Scorsese's Epic The Irishman (2020) as Self
- The Irishman (2019) Editor
- At the Video Store (2019) as Self
- The Snowman (2017) Editor
- Martin Scorsese's Journey Into Silence (2017) as Self
- Silence (2016) Editor
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) Thanks
- Scorsese's GoodFellas (2015) as Self
- Bombay Velvet (2015) Editor
- Learning to Drive (2014) Editor
- Inside Rupert Pupkin (2014) as Self
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) Editor
- Rockshow (2013) Editor
- Bad 25 (2012) as Self
- Optimism and Sheer Will (2012) as Self
- Hugo (2011) Editor
- Shutter Island (2010) Editor
- Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (2010) as Self – Interviewee
- Thelma Schoonmaker Powell on 'The Red Shoes' (2010) as Self
- The Departed (2006) Editor
- Edge of Outside (2006) as Self
- Michael Powell (2005)
- Raging Bull: After the Fight (2005) as Self
- Raging Bull: Inside the Ring (2005) as Self
- Raging Bull: Outside the Ring (2005) as Self
- The Eye of the Beholder (2005) as Self
- The Aviator (2004) Editor
- Getting Made: The Making of 'GoodFellas' (2004) as Self
- Edge Codes.com: The Art of Motion Picture Editing (2004) as Self
- Filming for Your Life: Making After Hours (2004) as Self - Editor
- Gangs of New York (2002) Editor
- The Concert for New York City (2001) Editorial Consultant
- The Making of 'Cape Fear' (2001) as Self
- The Neighborhood (2001) Editorial Consultant
- Painting with Light (2001) as Self
- Bringing Out the Dead (1999) Editor
- My Voyage to Italy (1999) Editor
- Glorious Technicolor (1998) as Self
- Kundun (1997) Editor
- Grace of My Heart (1996) Editor
- Casino (1995) Editor
- A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995) Supervising Editor
- The Age of Innocence (1993) Editor
- Innocence and Experience: The Making of 'The Age of Innocence' (1993) as Self
- Cape Fear (1991) Editor
- GoodFellas (1990) Editor
- Made in Milan (1990) Editor
- The Scorsese Machine (1990) as Self
- New York Stories (1989) Editor
- The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) Editor
- Movies Are My Life (1988) as Self
- The Color of Money (1986) Editor
- After Hours (1985) Editor
- The King of Comedy (1982) Editor
- The King of Comedy (1982) Production Supervisor
- Raging Bull (1980) Editor
- Paul McCartney & Wings: Wings Over the World (1979) Editor
- Woodstock (1970) Assistant Director
- Woodstock (1970) Editor
- Street Scenes 1970 (1970) Editor
- Who's That Knocking at My Door (1968) Editor
- The Virgin President (1968) Editor
- Passages from James Joyce's Finnegans Wake (1967) Editor
- Midnight Vendetta Editor
- Invisible Women as Herself
- What Happens at Night Editor
- Untitled Hawaiian Gangster Project Editor
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Thelma Schoonmaker best known for?
Thelma Schoonmaker is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), The Right Stuff (2020), The Irishman (2019), The Snowman (2017).
When and where was Thelma Schoonmaker born?
Thelma Schoonmaker was born on January 3, 1940 in Algiers, French Algeria [now Algeria].
How many credits does Thelma Schoonmaker have?
Thelma Schoonmaker has accumulated over 75 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1967 to 2026.
What is Thelma Schoonmaker's background in cinema and television?
Thelma Schoonmaker is an American film editor. Born on January 3, 1940, in Algiers, French Algeria, she is known for her collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. Schoonmaker has worked on numerous films, including those since Raging Bull in 1980. She has received several accolades, including three Academy Awards, t...