Alexander Payne

American writer, director, and producer

Also known as: Constantine Alexander Payne

Written by John M. Cunningham

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Dec 5, 2024 • Article History

Quick Facts

In full:: Constantine Alexander Payne

Born:: February 10, 1961, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. (age 63)

Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (2012); Academy Award (2005)

Notable Works:: “About Schmidt”; “Citizen Ruth”; “Downsizing”; “Election”; “Nebraska”; “Sideways”; “The Descendants”; “The Holdovers”

On the Web:: The Guardian - ‘If no one flies, they won’t give you the money’: Alexander Payne on Marvel, misfits and making movies (Dec. 05, 2024)

See all related content

Alexander Payne (born February 10, 1961, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.) is an American director, screenwriter, and producer noted for creating films that mix sardonic humor with humanistic character-driven drama in prosaic contemporary settings. Payne grew up in Omaha, where his mother was a professor of Romance languages and his father ran a restaurant. As a child, he took an interest in the family’s 8-mm film projector, and he eventually made his own amateur movies. After studying history and Latin American literature at Stanford University (B.A., 1984), Payne attended film school at the University of California, Los Angeles (M.F.A., 1990). His thesis ...(100 of 627 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.