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] Praise for Bruce Payne’s Acting
"Bruce Payne really has the spooky part down well". His Rane is one the creepiest villains I've seen in a while" writes Colin Jackson at dvdmg.com
"Passenger 57 features a sensational villain. Bruce Payne in the ROLE OF HIS LIFE as terrorist Charles Rane...As good as Snipes is as Cutter, Bruce Payne nearly steals the show, because from the time he appears in the film's opening scene, Bruce Payne turns Charles Rane's every line into Shakespeare, and Rane's every act of violence into a threat of something worse" writes DVDBarn.com
“In Passenger 57, villain Bruce Payne steals the plane—and the movie.” from the article “A Terrorist To Die For” in People Magazine, 1992
“Playing Kell, Payne is more fun than either of the stars” writes Andrew O’Hehir, Salon Magazine
"The one in the cast that seems to be having the most fun,” writes another Internet reviewer, "is Bruce Payne...Payne contrarily gives a performance where he enunciates every syllable with real relish and dramatic weight, resulting in a performance that is entirely captivating whenever he is on the screen."
"But ultimately, I have to agree with another reviewer whose words I read before going to see this film...Bruce Payne (Damodar) as Profion's nefarious assistant in his power hungry schemes was the stand-out performance of all the actors in the film. Payne has a true lock on how to play a character that is menacing even without any show of power. His portrayal of Damodar calls to mind Doug Bradley's portrayal of Pinhead in the Hellraiser films, so coldly, coolly arrogant and confident is his character. Above and beyond the grade I give to this film, Payne has earned himself an A+ in my gradebook". - Prof J at http://csc.aix.cc/profj/dnd.htm
Warlock III: The End of Innocence:
"Bruce brought to the film his own brand of evil intensity and the suave charisma that was required for the Warlock. In the first two movies, Julian was very smooth as the character, but Bruce makes for a scarier villain. You feel he is capable of more evil than Julian." Eric Freiser, director/co-writer of Warlock III’’ from Fangoria Magazine, October, 1999
“As the Warlock, Bruce Payne, an actor who has magnificently theatrical charisma and presence is actually better in the part than the perpetually overwrought Julian Sands” writes Richard Scheib, The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review Database
“Bruce Payne gives a charismatic, subdued scary performance. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Bruce Payne is all charm” writes John Fallon, Journalist/Film Critic, Arrow in the Head
Full Eclipse:
"Most monsters have a sort of grudge against humanity, but I don't think Garou does: he simply dislikes crime. That makes him interesting, and Bruce really brings all of these nuances out. He's a wonderful actor and a very bright man." Script writer Richard Christian Matheson, Fangoria Magazine #129 article, "Full Eclipse: Full Moon Fever: Police Lycanthropy"
“The always charismatic Bruce Payne….Bruce Payne (The Neighbor) laid on the charisma and the macho-ness thick as the “we love to hate him” sleaze ball” writes John Fallon, Journalist/Film Critic, Arrow in the Head
“Bruce Payne clad in S&M leather is so sexy, it’s no surprise all the women he comes in contact with want to be a part of his virtually reality porn game” writes Alexandra Nakelski in a review of Paranoia 1.0 at Fangoria.com
Bruce earned broad acclaim for what one critic called his “meaty, saving-grace performance” --excerpt from the article, “The Smart Money is on Bruce Payne” in Face Magazine, June, 1986
Bruce Payne is wonderful as Harker. R. B. Harker played by Bruce Payne is the one thing that makes this film watchable. His unrepentantly evil Harker is wonderful, aristocratic neither over or underplayed. In the traditional style, he sleeps in earth of his native soil, comes out at night and is killed by a stake through the heart. Harker metamorphoses into a pointy eared blue monster hideously deformed reminiscent of the 1922 Nosferatu, with the long talons. He wields power over the freaks, but can charm normal people. Alas he is not introduced until 20 minutes into the film, and he is never explicitly referred to as a vampire which is a shame, more vampiric activity please! Source: www.vampiremovies.co.uk/reviews/howling6.htm
Howling VI is the best one they've ever made! "Drive-In Academy Award nominations for Bruce Martyn Payne, as Harker the freak show owner!" Source: Monstervision's Joe Bob Briggs www.angelfire.com/mn/nn/Howling6.html
“Bruce Payne brings a touch of class to the film. His performances are solid. He’s actually the more “human” character in the film and gets to display some kool acting moments’’ writes John Fallon, Journalist/Film Critic, Arrow in the Head
[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
- Charmed (Prince Charmed) as the Leader
- Paranoia 1.0 (a.k.a. One Point O) (2004) as The Neighbour
- Hellborn (a.k.a. Asylum of the Damned) (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 aka Face the Evil II (1997) as Jack Terry
- Kounterfeit (1996) as Frankie
- Aurora: Operation Intercept (1995) as Gordon Pruett
- One Tough Bastard aka One Man's Justice (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 aka Silence Like Glass (1989) as Dr. Burton
- For Queen and Country (1989) as Colin
- The Fruit Machine aka Wonderland (1988) as Echo
- Miss Marple: 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)
