Alexander Payne is an American writer, director and producer known for the films About Schmidt (2002), Sideways (2004), The Descendants (2011), Nebraska (2013), and The Holdovers (2023). Over the course of his career, Payne has won two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, a British Academy Film Award, five Independent Spirit Awards, three Writers Guild of America Awards and has been nominated for a Grammy Award and three Directors Guild of America Awards.
Accolades Awards and nominations Award / Organization / Film festival Year Category Nominated work Result AACTA International Awards 2012 Best Screenplay The Descendants AARP Movies for Grownups Awards 2012 Best Screenwriter The Descendants 2024 Best Director The Holdovers Academy Awards 2000 Best Adapted Screenplay Election 2005 Best DirectorSideways Best Adapted Screenplay 2012 Best PictureThe Descendants Best Director Best Adapted Screenplay 2014 Best Director Nebraska Alliance of Women Film Journalists 2012 Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Adapted Screenplay 2013 Best Director Nebraska American Comedy Awards 2014 Best Comedy Director – Film Nebraska American Screenwriters Association 2003 Discover Screenwriting Award About Schmidt Astra Film Awards 2024 Best Director The Holdovers Boston Society of Film Critics 1999 Best Screenplay Election 2004 Best DirectorSideways Best Screenplay British Academy Film Awards 2005 Best Adapted Screenplay Sideways 2012 Best Film The Descendants Best Adapted Screenplay 2024 Best Direction The Holdovers Chicago Film Critics Association 2003 Best DirectorAbout Schmidt Best Screenplay 2005 Sideways 2011 Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Adapted Screenplay Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films2000 Best Screenplay Election 2005 Best Adapted Screenplay Sideways 2012 The Descendants Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2003 Best Writer About Schmidt 2005 Best DirectorSideways Best Writer 2012 Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Adapted Screenplay 2024 Best Director The Holdovers Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association 2005 Best Director Sideways 2011 Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Screenplay 2013 Best Director Nebraska 2023 The Holdovers Directors Guild of America Awards 2005Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Sideways 2012 The Descendants 2024 The Holdovers Florida Film Critics Circle 2000 Best Screenplay Election 2004 Best DirectorSideways Best Screenplay 2011 Best Adapted Screenplay The Descendants Georgia Film Critics Association 2012 Best Adapted Screenplay The Descendants Golden Globe Awards2003 Best DirectorAbout Schmidt Best Screenplay 2005 Best DirectorSideways Best Screenplay 2012 Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Screenplay 2014 Best Director Nebraska Golden Raspberry Awards 2008 Worst Screenplay I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry Gotham Awards 2004Best Feature Sideways 2011 The Descendants Grammy Awards 2013 Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media The Descendants Houston Film Critics Society 2012 Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Screenplay 2013 Best Director Nebraska 2024 The Holdovers Humanitas Prize 2012 Feature Film The Descendants Independent Spirit Awards2000Best DirectorElection Best Screenplay 2005Best DirectorSideways Best Screenplay 2012Best FeatureThe Descendants Best Director Best Screenplay 2014Best Director Nebraska London Film Critics' Circle2005 Director of the YearSideways Screenwriter of the Year 2012 The Descendants Los Angeles Film Critics Association 2003 Best Screenplay About Schmidt 2005 Best DirectorSideways Best Screenplay 2011 The Descendants National Board of Review2005Best Adapted Screenplay Sideways 2012 The Descendants National Society of Film Critics 2000Best Screenplay Election 2003 About Schmidt 2005 Best DirectorSideways Best Screenplay New York Film Critics Circle 2000 Best Screenplay Election 2003 Best DirectorAbout Schmidt Best Screenplay 2005 Sideways 2012 The Descendants New York Film Critics Online 2011 Best Screenplay The Descendants Online Film Critics Society 2000Best Adapted Screenplay Election 2003 About Schmidt 2005 Best DirectorSideways Best Adapted Screenplay 2012 The Descendants Palm Springs International Film Festival 2005 Director of the Year Sideways Producers Guild of America Awards 2012 Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures The Descendants San Diego Film Critics Society 1999Best Adapted Screenplay Election 2004 Sideways 2011 The Descendants San Francisco Film Critics Circle 2004 Best Director Sideways Best Screenplay Satellite Awards2005Best Director Sideways Best Adapted Screenplay 2011Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Adapted Screenplay 2024Best Director The Holdovers St. Louis Film Critics Association 2005 Best Director – Comedy or Musical Sideways Best Screenplay 2011 Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Adapted Screenplay 2013 Best Director Nebraska Thessaloniki International Film Festival 1996 Best Screenplay Citizen Ruth Toronto Film Critics Association 2012 Best Screenplay The Descendants USC Scripter Awards 2003USC Scripter Award About Schmidt 2005 Sideways 2012 The Descendants Valladolid International Film Festival 1999 Best New Director Election Vancouver Film Critics Circle 2005 Best Director Sideways 2012 Best Screenplay The Descendants Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2004 Best Adapted Screenplay Sideways 2011 Best DirectorThe Descendants Best Adapted Screenplay Writers Guild of America Awards 2000Best Adapted Screenplay Election 2003 About Schmidt 2005 Sideways 2012 The Descendants
Special awards and other honors Year Award Recognized work 2000 Los Angeles Film Critics Association's New Generation Award Citizen Ruth and Election2004 Filmmakers Alliance's Vision Award 2011 Hawaii International Film Festival Vision in Film Award 2012 ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award 2014 Location Managers Guild's Eva Monley Award 2017 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival Orpheus Award Honoree 2023 St. Louis International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 Advanced Imaging Society's Harold Lloyd Award Sarajevo Film Festival's Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award National Autonomous University of Mexico Film Archive Medal 2025 78th Locarno Film Festival Leopard of Honour (Pardo d’Onore Manor) For his achievements during 33 years, he is honored with Pardo d’Onore.
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