Biography
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.
Filmography
Cast Credits
Frank Capra: Mr. America
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2023
Berlanga!!
Character: Self - Filmmaker
MOVIE • 2021
Christoph Waltz - The Charm of Evil
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2021
Hal
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2019
Election - "The Passion of Martin" Introduction
Character: Himself
MOVIE • 2017
Program Notes: An Introduction To The Last Detail By Alexander Payne
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2017
About a Trip: Alexander Payne on Hal Ashby's 'The Last Detail'
Character:
MOVIE • 2017
Trespassing Bergman
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2013
Paris Je T'aime
Character: Oscar Wilde (Pere-Lachaise)
MOVIE • 2006
The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2004
Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2004
Crew
Crew Credits
The Holdovers
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2023
The Last Shift
Role: Executive Producer
MOVIE • 2020
Small Town Wisconsin
Role: Executive Producer
MOVIE • 2020
Downsizing
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2017
Downsizing
Role: Screenplay
MOVIE • 2017
Downsizing
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2017
Crash Pad
Role: Executive Producer
MOVIE • 2017
Program Notes: An Introduction To The Last Detail By Alexander Payne
Role: Writer
MOVIE • 2017
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
Role: Executive Producer
MOVIE • 2014
Nebraska
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2013
The Descendants
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2011
The Descendants
Role: Screenplay
MOVIE • 2011
The Descendants
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2011
Cedar Rapids
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2011
Sideways
Role: Story
MOVIE • 2009
Sideways
Role: Executive Producer
MOVIE • 2009
Hung
Role: Director
TV • 2009
Hung
Role: Executive Producer
TV • 2009
The Replacement Child
Role: Thanks
MOVIE • 2008
The Savages
Role: Executive Producer
MOVIE • 2007