Age: 65
male
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.
**Big Nate (2011) – Synopsis** Sixth grader Nate Wright knows one thing for sure: he’s destined for greatness. Whether he’s drawing comics in his notebook, annoying his teachers, or trying to impress his longtime crush Jenny Jenkins, Nate refuses to blend in with the crowd at P.S. 38. Armed with confidence, creativity, and just enough troublemaking energy, Nate navigates the chaos of middle school alongside his loyal best friends Francis and Teddy. When Nate receives a fortune cookie that mysteriously promises he will “surpass all others today,” he becomes convinced that this is his moment to achieve legendary status. But as his school day spirals into a series of hilarious mishaps involving strict teachers, rival classmates, and unexpected embarrassments, Nate begins to realize that greatness doesn’t always look the way he imagined. As his doodles leap off the page and his imagination transforms ordinary moments into epic adventures, Nate learns lessons about friendship, resilience, and staying true to himself. Even if he doesn’t become famous overnight, Nate discovers that being yourself—and surviving middle school—is already a pretty big achievement. Based on the beloved book series and comic strip by Lincoln Peirce, *Big Nate* is a heartfelt and hilarious coming-of-age comedy about growing up, standing out, and embracing the chaos of being twelve years old.
