Constantine Alexander Payne (born February 10 1961) is an Academy Award-winning American film director and screenwriter. His films are noted for their dark sense of humor and satirical depictions of contemporary American society. His films also revolve around adultery in marriage and relationships. He also tends to set his films in Omaha, Nebraska. He has scenes of historical landmarks and museums in his films, and tends to use actual people for minor roles (real cops play cops, real teachers play teachers, etc.). He frequently incoporates telephone monologues as a dramatic device. He also tends to cast actor Phil Reeves in his films. He is on the short list of directors who have final cut rights for their films. In 2005 he became a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Directors Branch). His writing partner is Jim Taylor.
Attended Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Nebraska
Studied at the University of Salamanca (Spain).
Of Greek Ancestry. Family name was changed from Papadopoulos.
Graduate of Stanford University.
Graduated in 1990 from UCLA Filmschool with a MFA in Theater Arts.
He grew up down the street from billionaire Warren Buffett.
Owns the Winnebago driven by Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) in About Schmidt (2002).
Is on the short list of directors who has final cut rights to his films.
Studied Spanish and history at Stanford.
Did an uncredited polishing-up of the final draft of Meet the Parents (2000).
Is a friend of David O. Russell.
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.
Member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Directors Branch) [2005-]
