Biography and filmography

Alexander Payne

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.

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Movies (43)

Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern

Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern

2026

Los que se quedan

Los que se quedan

2023 · Director

Frank Capra: Mr. America

Frank Capra: Mr. America

2023 · Self - Director and Screenwriter

Una buena persona

Una buena persona

2023 · Thanks

Berlanga!!

Berlanga!!

2021 · Self - Filmmaker

Christoph Waltz - The Charm of Evil

Christoph Waltz - The Charm of Evil

2021 · Self

El último turno

El último turno

2020 · Executive Producer

Small Town Wisconsin

Small Town Wisconsin

2020 · Executive Producer

Hal

Hal

2019 · Self

Downsizing

Downsizing

2017 · Director, Screenplay, Producer

Election - "The Passion of Martin" Introduction

Election - "The Passion of Martin" Introduction

2017 · Himself

Crash Pad

Crash Pad

2017 · Executive Producer

Program Notes: An Introduction To The Last Detail By Alexander Payne

Program Notes: An Introduction To The Last Detail By Alexander Payne

2017 · Self, Writer

About a Trip: Alexander Payne on Hal Ashby's 'The Last Detail'

About a Trip: Alexander Payne on Hal Ashby's 'The Last Detail'

2017

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

2014 · Executive Producer

Nebraska

Nebraska

2013 · Director

Trespassing Bergman

Trespassing Bergman

2013 · Self

The Descendants

The Descendants

2011 · Screenplay, Producer, Director

Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids

2011 · Producer

Sideways

Sideways

2009 · Executive Producer, Story, Original Film Writer

The Replacement Child

The Replacement Child

2008 · Thanks

The Savages

The Savages

2007 · Executive Producer

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

2007 · Screenplay

Gray Matters

Gray Matters

2007 · Executive Producer

King of California

King of California

2007 · Producer

Paris Je T'aime

Paris Je T'aime

2006 · Oscar Wilde (segment " Pere-Lachaise"), Director, Writer

Cinema16: American Short Films

Cinema16: American Short Films

2006 · Director

14e Arrondissement

14e Arrondissement

2006 · Director

Sideways

Sideways

2004 · Screenplay, Director

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing

2004 · Self

The Assassination of Richard Nixon

The Assassination of Richard Nixon

2004 · Executive Producer

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

2004 · Self

About Schmidt

About Schmidt

2002 · Screenplay, Director

Parque Jurásico III

Parque Jurásico III

2001 · Writer

Election

Election

1999 · Director, Screenplay

Citizen Ruth

Citizen Ruth

1996 · Screenplay, Director

Inside Out 3

Inside Out 3

1992 · Director

The Passion of Martin

The Passion of Martin

1991 · Director, Screenplay, Editor, Producer

Inside Out

Inside Out

1991 · Writer, Director

Carmen

Carmen

1985 · Director, Music

Untitled Alexander Payne Western

Untitled Alexander Payne Western

· Director

Somewhere Out There

Somewhere Out There

· Director

Darlington

Darlington

· Executive Producer

TV shows (1)