63 years old (Born on February 10, 1961)
Film director; He is famous from Election, About Schmidt.
He grew up down the street from billionaire Warren Buffett. One of his motivations to move the title character of About Schmidt (2002) from New York City in the novel to Payne's hometown of Omaha, Nebraska was as a tribute to the great history of "creative" people that hail from that small Midwestern city. The famous people other than Payne who are originally from Omaha include Henry Fonda, Marlon Brando, Fred Astaire, Montgomery Clift and Nick Nolte. Graduate of Stanford University. Member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Directors Branch) [2005-] Did an uncredited polishing-up of the final draft of Meet the Parents (2000).Alexander Payne's Best Moments
Fun Facts About Alexander Payne
Of Greek Ancestry. Family name was changed from Papadopoulos.
Among his favorite filmmakers: Akira Kurosawa, Luis Bunuel, Hal Ashby, Martin Scorsese and Sergio Leone.
Studied at the University of Salamanca (Spain).
Graduated in 1990 from UCLA Filmschool with a MFA in Theater Arts.
Owns the Winnebago driven by Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) in About Schmidt (2002).
Is a friend of David O. Russell.
Is on the short list of directors who has final cut rights to his films.
Attended Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Nebraska
Studied Spanish and history at Stanford.