Alexander Payne (Screen Talk)

In a revealing and occasionally barbed interview from 2011, Payne reviewed his career to date, its unifying themes and his unique approach to crafting a story.

With just five films in his first 20 years, you could call Alexander Payne selective. But when they include Sideways and Election, who cares? In this extended interview from 2011, Payne discusses his sixth feature, The Descendants, and explains his love of the absurd, bittersweet lives of characters like Tracy Flick and Warren Schmidt. He also previewed what would become his next project, Nebraska.