Alexander Payne

Directing·Feb 10, 1961·Omaha, Nebraska, USA

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Alexander Payne (born February 10, 1961) is an Oscar-winning filmmaker whose work has helped define modern-day American cinema. He is best known for the features Election (1999), Sideways (2004), The Descendants (2011), About Schmidt (2002), Nebraska (2013) and The Holdovers (2023). His movies have garnered a total of 24 Academy Award nominations, including four times for Best Picture and three times for Best Director. He has won two Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay (Sideways, The Descendants), and two of his films have won the Golden Globe for Best Picture. His most recent film, The Holdovers, earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Five of his movies were shot at least partially in Nebraska, where he continues to live, dividing his time between there and Los Angeles. An Omaha native, Payne studied History and Spanish Literature at Stanford before earning an MFA in Film at UCLA. He serves on the boards of the Telluride Film Festival and The Film Foundation.

Film	Credit
Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern2026 · Actor	Actor
The Holdovers2023 · Director	Director
Frank Capra: Mr. America2023 · Self - Director and Screenwriter	Self - Director and Screenwriter
Berlanga!!2021 · Self - Filmmaker	Self - Filmmaker
Christoph Waltz - The Charm of Evil2021 · Self	Self
Hal2019 · Self	Self
Downsizing2017 · Director, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Screenplay, Producer
Election - "The Passion of Martin" Introduction2017 · Himself	Himself
Program Notes: An Introduction To The Last Detail By Alexander Payne2017 · Self, Writer	Self, Writer
About a Trip: Alexander Payne on Hal Ashby's 'The Last Detail'2017 · Actor	Actor
Nebraska2013 · Director	Director
Trespassing Bergman2013 · Self	Self
The Descendants2011 · Director, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Screenplay, Producer
Cedar Rapids2011 · Producer	Producer
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry2007 · Screenplay	Screenplay
King of California2007 · Producer	Producer
Paris Je T'aime2006 · Oscar Wilde (segment " Pere-Lachaise"), Director, Writer	Oscar Wilde (segment " Pere-Lachaise"), Director, Writer
Cinema16: American Short Films2006 · Director	Director
14e Arrondissement2006 · Director	Director
Sideways2004 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing2004 · Self	Self
Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession2004 · Self	Self
About Schmidt2002 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
Jurassic Park III2001 · Writer	Writer
Election1999 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
Citizen Ruth1996 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
Inside Out 31992 · Director	Director
The Passion of Martin1991 · Director, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Screenplay, Producer
Inside Out1991 · Writer, Director	Writer, Director
Carmen1985 · Director	Director
UUntitled Alexander Payne WesternDirector	Director
SSomewhere Out ThereDirector	Director