Bruce Payne
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Bruce Martyn Payne (born November 22, 1960 in London, England) is an English actor and producer.
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[edit] Early life
Payne grew up in Kilburn, North London and developed an interest for acting at an early age. At the age of 14 he was diagnosed with a slight form of Spina Bifida. At age 16 he had a two year ordeal with the disease which required surgery to rectify. Bruce was held up in his hospital bed for 6 months after conquering the possibility of becoming paralysed.
His passion for performing began early when he would regularly sneak or bluff his way onto the film lots of Shepperton Studios. He enrolled as an extra and would meticulously jot down numerous notes, camera, lighting, directions, etc for reference.
During a performance at his school, a talent scout for a stage school approached Bruce. However, after direction from his parents he chose to continue studying. After graduating he eagerly enrolled in the National Youth Theatre for two seasons where he worked on and performed in many plays with other kids. Payne has described this experience as "Four hundred kids thrown together to work on 7 plays."
In addition, Bruce was occupied with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for one season.
Payne auditioned for several fringe acting companies but was told he was too young and lacked experience. Despite this, in 1979 the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) took notice of Payne's youthful spark for acting and inducted him into their acting program at the age of 19. During his three years at RADA (1979-1981), Bruce was able to hone his craft and experiment with traditional theatre. While at RADA he appeared both on stage and in critically acclaimed television productions, including a starring role in the BBC's biography of "Oscar Wilde", as well as "Smart Money", "The Bell Run", "Miss Marple" and others.
Payne graduated from the RADA in 1981 with seven major prizes for acting, comedy and physical presence.
[edit] Acting Career
Payne's first major film role in 1982 with Michael Blakemore's Privates On Parade in which he played the singing and dancing Flight Sergeant Kevin Cartwright. Payne demonstrated his diversity in 1985 when he went from a dapper singing snooker manager, in Alan Clarke's Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire, to a threadbaren undercover drug detective, in Bob Mahoney's Operation Julie.
Payne incorporated his passion for the stage in-between production shoots. In 1983, the highly acclaimed director/writer/actor Steven Berkoff first took notice of Bruce's "sparkling edge of unpredictability" in 1983 and cast him in his production of West at the Donmar Warehouse.
A creative bond formed between Payne and Berkoff, which lead them onto a path towards other professional endeavors. Shortly after the stage production of West, Bruce starred in the Limehouse Films television adaptation of the play. In 1988, Berkoff would then again direct Bruce in his production of Greek at the Wyndhams Theatre. Berkoff has stated that Payne "gave a vital and dynamic performance and trod on the edge of danger" performing as the main character, Eddy. Later in 1989, he starred as Colin in For Queen and Country.
Bruce also performed in the stage musicals of The Rocky Horror Show, playing Frank 'N' Furter and had the lead male role in Nicholas Hytner's Alice.
Payne first came to the public's attention as the violent, silk-smooth terrorist pitted against airline security expert Wesley Snipes in Warner Bros' 1992 action thriller Passenger 57.
In 1989, Warner Bros. considered "Bruce Payne as Bruce Wayne" on their "one liner" press marketing PR campaign for the first of Tim Burton's Batman films. Michael Keaton ultimately got the coveted role.
Payne is said to meticulously research his roles to the last detail, crafting facial expressions, mannerisms, body language and speech delivery according to character. ”If I'm allowed to in terms of time, I really like to get into the character.”
Though better known for his villainous roles, Bruce Payne has played characters across the spectrum.
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Actor
- Messages (2007) as Dr. Robert Golding
- Brothel (Not yet released) as Thief
- Never Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini Team (Not yet released) as Mr. Blue
- Dungeons & Dragons 2: Wrath of the Dragon God (2005) as Damodar
- One Point O (2004) as The Neighbour
- Hellborn (2003) as Dr. McCort
- Newton's Law (2003)
- San Giovanni - L'apocalisse (2002) (TV) as Domitian
- Riders (2002) as Lt. Macgruder
- Ripper (2001) as Marshall Kane
- Dungeons & Dragons (2000) as Damodar
- Highlander: Endgame (2000) as Jacob Kell
- Britannic (2000) (TV) as Maj. Baker, MD
- Warlock III: The End of Innocence (1999) (V) as The Warlock / Phillip Covington
- Cleopatra (1999) (TV) as Cassius
- Sweepers (1999) as Dr. Cecil Hopper
- Ravager (1997) as Cooper Wayne
- No Contest II (1997) as Jack Terry
- Kounterfeit (1996) as Frankie
- Aurora: Operation Intercept (1995) as Gordon Pruett
- One Tough Bastard (1995) as Karl Savak
- Necronomicon (1994) as Edward De Lapoer (part 1)
- The Cisco Kid (1994) (TV) as General Martin Dupre
- Full Eclipse (1993) (TV) as Adam Garou
- Passenger 57 (1992) as Charles Rane
- Switch (1991) as The Devil
- Howling VI: The Freaks (1991) as R.B Harker
- Pyrates (1991) (as Bruce Martyn Payne) as Liam
- Yellowthread Street (1990) TV Series as Det. Nick Eden
- Zwei Frauen (1989) as Dr. Burton
- For Queen and Country (1989) as Colin
- The Fruit Machine (1988) as Echo
- Nemesis (1987) (TV) as Michael Rafiel
- The Bell-Run (1987) (TV) as Pace
- Lost Belongings (1987) (Mini Tv Series) as Simon Hunt
- Solarbabies (1986) as Dogger
- Smart Money (1986) as Lawrance MacNiece
- Absolute Beginners (1986) as Flikker
- Operation Julie (1985) (TV) as DC Malcolm Pollard
- Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire (1985) as T.O. (The One)
- Oxford Blues (1984) as Peter Howles
- The Keep (1983) as Border Guard #2
- Privates on Parade (1982) as Flight Sgt. Kevin Cartwright
[edit] Producer
- Lowball (1997) (executive producer)
[edit] TV Appearances
- Charmed: "Prince Charmed" as Leader of the Order (2004)
- Spooks aka MI-5: "Smoke and Mirrors" as Mickey Kaharias (2003)
- Keen Eddie: "Horse Heir" as Yellow (2003)
- Dragnet: "All That Glitters" as Alex Karp (2003)
- La Femme Nikita: three episodes as Jurgen (1998)
- Bergerac: "The Messenger Boy" as Jake (1990)
- Yellowthread Street: The Series as Nick Eden (1990)
- Tales from the Crypt: "Comes the Dawn" as Sergeant (1989)
- The Equalizer: "Eighteen with a Bullet" as Greg Rivers (1985)
- Oscar Wilde Biography BBC (1985)
