A woman standing on a city street at night, with a large sign overhead reading "Fort Worth Stockyards" and "Where the West Begins" in the background. The street is lined with parked cars and buildings, and the scene is illuminated by streetlights and signs.

Payten is 7th generation Texan…

Who divides her time between Los Angeles and Fort Worth. Graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2017, Payten has since founded the Wild Heart Company. Wild Heart is a production company focused on creating space for women in front of, and behind, the camera.

Payten’s directorial debut, Sister, was awarded Best Western Short Film at the Indie Short Fest in Spring of 2024.

She is the first artist to become dually-certified as both an actor and director within the National Michael Chekhov Association.

When she’s not working, you can find Payten wandering on a ranch down in Texas or in the mountains northwest of Denver.

Young woman with blonde hair smiling, wearing a black dress and black lace-up heels, standing on a red carpet at a film festival event, with a backdrop featuring logos for Sundance Square, Fort Worth, and Lone Star Film Festival.
A young woman smiling while standing in front of a beige striped wall, wearing a gray and white raglan t-shirt and a navy baseball cap.
A woman with blonde hair smiling and leaning against a large white column on a porch, wearing a black dress and turquoise jewelry, with a badge hanging from her neck.
Young woman wearing a black t-shirt, denim shorts, and sandals with pink nail polish, smiling and posing in front of a decorative metal gate and ornate stone wall.
A woman with long hair making a playful face with her tongue out and eyes wide. She's wearing a dark, ribbed sweater and sitting against a plain light-colored wall.
Close-up of a woman with curly blonde hair and blue eyes, looking downwards.
A woman standing outdoors against a white brick wall with a dark wooden door, dressed in a Victorian-style purple and black gown with lace details and holding a pink floral fan, smiling at the camera.
A woman with long light brown hair wearing a gray beanie and black jacket sitting in tall grass with an orange train and cloudy sky in the background.
A young woman with blonde hair smiling, wearing a black dress, high heels, and carrying a small handbag, standing against a plain wall.
A woman with a face painted like a bloody eye holds a film slate with details indicating she is a sister character in a film production. The scene appears to be indoors with wood-paneled walls and maps in the background.
A woman with shoulder-length, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a black camisole with lace trim and smiling.