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.