Cynthia Payne through by standing for Parliament as a candidate for the Payne and Pleasure Party in the Kensington by-election in July 1988, followed by her standing in her own area of Streatham for the Rainbow Dream Ticket in the 1992 UK General Election. She did not gain a parliamentary seat. There are two films that are loosely based on her life, both released in 1987: "Wish You Were Here", about her adolescence, with Emily Lloyd in the lead role, and "Personal Services", about her adult life, starring Julie Walters. Both were written (and "Wish You Were Here" was directed) by David
Bruce Payne in director Alan Clarke's snooker musical "Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire". Michael Brooke stated that Payne gave the "stand-out performance" in the film. and "MS London" stated that Payne 'is a charismatic presence, with a capable voice, who is perfectly cast as The One'. In 1986, both Payne and Berkoff appeared in Julien Temple's musical "Absolute Beginners" . Payne played a psychotic "pompous and pathetic racist" named Flikker, who participated in the 1958 Notting Hill race riots. One reviewer argued that Payne was "the only actor to walk off "Absolute Beginners" with his reputation not only intact