List of awards and nominations received by Alexander Payne

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.

Alexander Payne awards and nominations

Payne at the 2015 Munich Filmfestival
Awards and nominations Award Wins Nominations AACTA International Awards 0 1 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards 0 2 Academy Awards 2 7 Alliance of Women Film Journalists 1 3 American Comedy Awards 0 1 American Screenwriters Association 0 1 Astra Film Awards 0 1 Boston Society of Film Critics 1 3 British Academy Film Awards 1 4 Chicago Film Critics Association 1 5 Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films 1 3 Critics' Choice Movie Awards 1 6 Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association 2 5 Directors Guild of America Awards 0 3 Florida Film Critics Circle 4 4 Georgia Film Critics Association 0 1 Golden Globe Awards 2 7 Golden Raspberry Awards 0 1 Gotham Awards 1 2 Grammy Awards 0 1 Houston Film Critics Society 1 4 Humanitas Prize 0 1 Independent Spirit Awards 5 8 London Film Critics' Circle 0 3 Los Angeles Film Critics Association 3 4 National Board of Review 2 2 National Society of Film Critics 1 4 New York Film Critics Circle 2 5 New York Film Critics Online 1 1 Online Film Critics Society 2 5 Palm Springs International Film Festival 1 1 Producers Guild of America Awards 0 1 San Diego Film Critics Society 2 3 San Francisco Film Critics Circle 2 2 Satellite Awards 1 5 St. Louis Film Critics Association 3 5 Thessaloniki International Film Festival 1 1 Toronto Film Critics Association 1 1 USC Scripter Awards 1 3 Valladolid International Film Festival 1 1 Vancouver Film Critics Circle 0 2 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2 3 Writers Guild of America Awards 3 4
Totals[a]
Wins	51
Nominations	130
Honours	10
Note Certain award groups do not simply award one winner. They acknowledge several different recipients, have runners-up, and have third place. Since this is a specific recognition and is different from losing an award, runner-up mentions are considered wins in this award tally. For simplification and to avoid errors, each award in this list has been presumed to have had a prior nomination.

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Award / Organization / Film festival	Year[i]	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref(s)
AACTA International Awards	2012	Best Screenplay	The Descendants	Nominated	[1]
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards	2012	Best Screenwriter	The Descendants	Nominated	[2]
	2024	Best Director	The Holdovers	Nominated	[3]
Academy Awards	2000	Best Adapted Screenplay	Election	Nominated	[4][5]
	2005	Best Director	Sideways	Nominated	[6][7][8]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Won
	2012	Best Picture	The Descendants	Nominated	[9][10]
		Best Director		Nominated
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Won
	2014	Best Director	Nebraska	Nominated	[11][12]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists	2012	Best Director	The Descendants	Nominated	[13][14]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Won
	2013	Best Director	Nebraska	Nominated	[15][16]
American Comedy Awards	2014	Best Comedy Director – Film	Nebraska	Nominated	[17]
American Screenwriters Association	2003	Discover Screenwriting Award	About Schmidt	Nominated	[18]
Astra Film Awards	2024	Best Director	The Holdovers	Nominated	[19]
Boston Society of Film Critics	1999	Best Screenplay	Election	Runner-up	[20]
	2004	Best Director	Sideways	Runner-up	[21][22]
		Best Screenplay		Won
British Academy Film Awards	2005	Best Adapted Screenplay	Sideways	Won	[23]
	2012	Best Film	The Descendants	Nominated	[24]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Nominated
	2024	Best Direction	The Holdovers	Nominated	[25]
Chicago Film Critics Association	2003	Best Director	About Schmidt	Nominated	[26][27]
		Best Screenplay		Nominated
	2005		Sideways	Won	[28][29]
	2011	Best Director	The Descendants	Nominated	[30]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Nominated
Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films	2000	Best Screenplay	Election	Nominated	[31]
	2005	Best Adapted Screenplay	Sideways	Nominated	[32]
	2012		The Descendants	Won	[33]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards	2003	Best Writer	About Schmidt	Nominated	[34][35]
	2005	Best Director	Sideways	Nominated	[36][37]
		Best Writer		Won
	2012	Best Director	The Descendants	Nominated	[38]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Nominated
	2024	Best Director	The Holdovers	Nominated	[39]
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association	2005	Best Director	Sideways	3rd place	[40][41]
	2011	Best Director	The Descendants	Won	[42]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2013	Best Director	Nebraska	3rd place	[43][44]
	2023		The Holdovers	3rd place	[45]
Directors Guild of America Awards	2005	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures	Sideways	Nominated	[46]
	2012		The Descendants	Nominated	[47]
	2024		The Holdovers	Nominated	[48]
Florida Film Critics Circle	2000	Best Screenplay	Election	Won	[49]
	2004	Best Director	Sideways	Won	[50]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2011	Best Adapted Screenplay	The Descendants	Won	[51]
Georgia Film Critics Association	2012	Best Adapted Screenplay	The Descendants	Nominated	[52][53]
Golden Globe Awards	2003	Best Director	About Schmidt	Nominated	[54][55]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2005	Best Director	Sideways	Nominated	[56][57]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2012	Best Director	The Descendants	Nominated	[58]
		Best Screenplay		Nominated
	2014	Best Director	Nebraska	Nominated	[59]
Golden Raspberry Awards	2008	Worst Screenplay	I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry	Nominated	[60][61]
Gotham Awards	2004	Best Feature	Sideways	Won	[62]
	2011		The Descendants	Nominated	[63]
Grammy Awards	2013	Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media	The Descendants	Nominated	[64][65]
Houston Film Critics Society	2012	Best Director	The Descendants	Nominated	[66]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2013	Best Director	Nebraska	Nominated	[67]
	2024		The Holdovers	Nominated	[68]
Humanitas Prize	2012	Feature Film	The Descendants	Finalist	[69]
Independent Spirit Awards	2000	Best Director	Election	Won	[70][71]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2005	Best Director	Sideways	Won	[72][73]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2012	Best Feature	The Descendants	Nominated	[74]
		Best Director		Nominated
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2014	Best Director	Nebraska	Nominated	[75]
London Film Critics' Circle	2005	Director of the Year	Sideways	Nominated	[76]
		Screenwriter of the Year		Nominated
	2012		The Descendants	Nominated	[77]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association	2003	Best Screenplay	About Schmidt	Won	[78]
	2005	Best Director	Sideways	Won	[79]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2011		The Descendants	Runner-up	[80]
National Board of Review	2005	Best Adapted Screenplay	Sideways	Won	[81]
	2012		The Descendants	Won	[82]
National Society of Film Critics	2000	Best Screenplay	Election	2nd place	[83]
	2003		About Schmidt	2nd place	[84]
	2005	Best Director	Sideways	2nd place	[85][86]
		Best Screenplay		Won
New York Film Critics Circle	2000	Best Screenplay	Election	Won	[87]
	2003	Best Director	About Schmidt	3rd place
		Best Screenplay		2nd place	[88]
	2005		Sideways	Won	[89]
	2012		The Descendants	3rd place	[90]
New York Film Critics Online	2011	Best Screenplay	The Descendants	Won	[91]
Online Film Critics Society	2000	Best Adapted Screenplay	Election	Won	[92][93]
	2003		About Schmidt	Nominated	[94]
	2005	Best Director	Sideways	Nominated	[95][96][97]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Won
	2012		The Descendants	Nominated	[98][99]
Palm Springs International Film Festival	2005	Director of the Year	Sideways	Won	[100][101]
Producers Guild of America Awards	2012	Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures	The Descendants	Nominated	[102][103]
San Diego Film Critics Society	1999	Best Adapted Screenplay	Election	Won	[104]
	2004		Sideways	Won
	2011		The Descendants	Nominated	[105]
San Francisco Film Critics Circle	2004	Best Director	Sideways	Won	[106]
		Best Screenplay		Won
Satellite Awards	2005	Best Director	Sideways	Nominated	[107]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Nominated
	2011	Best Director	The Descendants	Nominated	[108]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Won
	2024	Best Director	The Holdovers	Nominated	[109]
St. Louis Film Critics Association	2005	Best Director – Comedy or Musical	Sideways	Won	[110]
		Best Screenplay		Won
	2011	Best Director	The Descendants	Nominated	[111][112]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Won
	2013	Best Director	Nebraska	Nominated	[113][114]
Thessaloniki International Film Festival	1996	Best Screenplay	Citizen Ruth	Won	[115][116]
Toronto Film Critics Association	2012	Best Screenplay	The Descendants	Runner-up	[117][118]
USC Scripter Awards	2003	USC Scripter Award	About Schmidt	Nominated	[119]
	2005		Sideways	Nominated	[120]
	2012		The Descendants	Won	[121]
Valladolid International Film Festival	1999	Best New Director	Election	Won	[122]
Vancouver Film Critics Circle	2005	Best Director	Sideways	Nominated	[123]
	2012	Best Screenplay	The Descendants	Nominated	[124]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association	2004	Best Adapted Screenplay	Sideways	Won	[125]
	2011	Best Director	The Descendants	Nominated	[126]
		Best Adapted Screenplay		Won
Writers Guild of America Awards	2000	Best Adapted Screenplay	Election	Won	[127]
	2003		About Schmidt	Nominated	[128]
	2005		Sideways	Won	[129]
	2012		The Descendants	Won	[130]

Special awards and other honors

Year[i]	Award	Recognized work	Ref(s)
2000	Los Angeles Film Critics Association's New Generation Award	Citizen Ruth and Election	[131]
2004	Filmmakers Alliance's Vision Award	—	[132]
2011	Hawaii International Film Festival Vision in Film Award	—	[133]
2012	ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award	—	[134]
2014	Location Managers Guild's Eva Monley Award	—	[135]
2017	Los Angeles Greek Film Festival Orpheus Award Honoree	—	[136]
2023	St. Louis International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award	—	[137]
2024	Advanced Imaging Society's Harold Lloyd Award	—	[138]
	Sarajevo Film Festival's Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award	—	[139]
	National Autonomous University of Mexico Film Archive Medal [es]	—	[140][141][142]
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.	[143]

Notes

1. Indicates the year of ceremony.