Constantine Alexander Payne (born February 10, 1961 in Omaha, Nebraska), American film director and screenwriter. His films are noted for their dark sense of humor and satirical depictions of contemporary American society. His film Election, starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, which takes aim at politics and education in America, attracted attention when New Yorker film critic David Denby named it the best film of 1999. Payne was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Election. He married actress Sandra Oh in 2001.

Feature films written and directed by Payne:

• Sideways (2004)
• About Schmidt (2002)
• Election (1999)
• Citizen Ruth (1996)

External link

• IMDb entry http://imdb.com/name/nm0668247/