Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper
Classically trained with a Master of Music in violin performance, Mahuia cut his teeth in the screen world before tearing down the walls between orchestra, underground electronica and cinematic storytelling. A defining chapter of his career was his collaboration with the late Lee Tamahori on Mahana; a partnership forged through countless hours in the studio, shaping every cue with shared obsession and deep creative trust. That commitment paid off, earning Mahuia and Tama Waipara the APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award (APRA Silver Scroll / Tohu Pūmanawa). From there, his screen work accelerated. He moved into psychologically charged storytelling with Housebound, layered atmospheric tension through Shadow in the Cloud, brought aching intimacy to Fantail, and scored the hard-hitting drama Muru, inspired by the Tūhoe raids. His transition into long-form television saw him score The Gone, a series that went on to win multiple awards across two consecutive seasons - including Best Original Score at the New Zealand Television Awards and the APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award (Tohu Paerangi) - cementing his reputation as a composer who can sustain emotional depth over evolving narrative arcs. That momentum carried him into international territory. Mahuia was next tapped to compose the score for SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton: The Movie, a leap from prestige drama to animated global phenomenon that showcases the true breadth of his musical language. Alongside his screen work, Mahuia has quietly helped shape the sound of modern Aotearoa’s biggest voices. He is a co-writer of Six60’s chart-topping anthem "Pepeha", and a long-time creative partner of TEEKS, co-writing the deeply resonant songs "Something to Feel" and "Grapefruit Skies." His close collaboration with Maisey Rika has also produced award-winning music, including "Ruaimoko," which received the APRA Maioha Award (Tohu Maioha), bridging taonga tuku iho with contemporary soul. His orchestral and string arrangements have expanded the music of artists including Brooke Fraser, Trinity Roots and L.A.B., bringing symphonic weight into the heart of popular music. Beyond the studio, he is a founding member of The Black String Quartet and a frequent collaborator with the Auckland Philharmonia and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, including work that contributed to a Gold Award at the New York Festivals Radio Awards for a Rob Ruha orchestral collaboration. Whilst you may not know Mahuia’s name, you’ve almost certainly felt his work. It lingers, a hook you can’t shake, a sound that follows you out of the cinema or into the drive home. That kind of imprint isn’t accidental. It’s the mark of a composer who understands exactly how music lives inside story.
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Biography from IMDb.
- Composer
- 9 on MovieCove · 18 credits in all
What are Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper's films like?
Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 4
Light 5 · Serious 1 · Dark 1
A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1
Gentle 1 · Charged 4 · Intense 2
Steady 2 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1
Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 2
Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 1
Casual 4 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 3 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 1
Resolved 6 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy2
- Bittersweet5
- Ambiguous2
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).
Subscription and free streaming for Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
18 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page.
Dead Strangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Sgt. Haane(2026)
Pītiti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Plankton: The Movie(2025)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
End of the Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
The Gone(2023)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all showsPrincess of Chaos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
The Raid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Dreaming Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Vegas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Creamerie(2021)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows
Shadow in the Cloud(2020)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
The Legend of Baron To'a(2020)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Alien Addiction(2018)
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Do No Harm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Mahana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Housebound(2014)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Fantail(2013)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Career shape
A full career of 13 titles from 2014 to 2026.
Biggest box office
Shadow in the Cloud (2020)
Highest rated
Housebound (2014)
Most popular right now
Plankton: The Movie (2025)
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.
How do Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 46th percentile, the median of the 6 of 7 with a score; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.
- 50th to 74th4
- 25th to 49th3
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
4 of their 8 titles are Mixed.
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser3
- Mixed4
Reviewers score the sound and music 57/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper's work okay for kids?
Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.
Who does Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper work with?
People who share at least 2 of Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Roseanne Liang shares the most, 2.
Directors
- Roseanne LiangShared titles: Creamerie (2021), Shadow in the Cloud (2020)See all 2 shared titles with Roseanne Liang
Actors
- Poroaki Merritt-McDonaldShared titles: Sgt. Haane (2026), The Gone (2023)See all 2 shared titles with Poroaki Merritt-McDonald
- Vinnie BennettShared titles: Sgt. Haane (2026), Fantail (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Vinnie Bennett
- Beulah KoaleShared titles: Shadow in the Cloud (2020), Fantail (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Beulah Koale
Editors
- Tom EaglesShared titles: Creamerie (2021), Shadow in the Cloud (2020)See all 2 shared titles with Tom Eagles
Producers
- Reikura KahiShared titles: Sgt. Haane (2026), The Gone (2023)See all 2 shared titles with Reikura Kahi