Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant

Born 1952-07-24 (age 74) Louisville, Kentucky, USA
View on IMDb ↗

Biography

Gus Green Van Sant, Jr. (born July 24, 1952) is an American director, screenwriter, painter, photographer, musician, and author. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Achievement in Directing for his 1997 film Good Will Hunting and his 2008 film Milk, and won the Palme d'Or at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival for his film Elephant. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

His early career was devoted to directing television commercials in the Pacific Northwest. In his films, he has dealt with themes concerning homosexuality and other marginalized subcultures.

His filmography as writer and director includes an adaptation of Tom Robbins' novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, which features a diverse cast (Keanu Reeves, Roseanne Barr, Uma Thurman, and k.d. lang, with cameos by William S. Burroughs and Heather Graham, among others); and My Own Private Idaho, also starring Reeves as well as River Phoenix.

He wrote the screenplays for most of his early movies, and wrote one novel, Pink. A book of his photography has also been published, called 108 Portraits.

Photos

Known For

My Own Private Idaho
My Own Private Idaho

1991

as Man Behind Hotel Counter (uncredited)

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Psycho
Psycho

1998

as Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)

Finding Forrester
Finding Forrester

2000

as Library Assistant (uncredited)

Drugstore Cowboy
Drugstore Cowboy

1989

as Himself (uncredited)

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot

2018

as Willamette Week Editor

The Canyons
The Canyons

2013

as Dr. Campbell

Zeroville
Zeroville

2019

as Film Archive Curator

Last Days
Last Days

2005

as Phone Voice (voice)

Paranoid Park
Paranoid Park

2007

as Guy Reading Newspaper (uncredited)

A Special Day
A Special Day

2012

as Self

The Trainer
The Trainer

2024

as Gus Van Sant

Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open
Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open

2023

as Self (interview)

In the Mood for Doyle
Mala Noche
Mala Noche

1987

as Guy at Hotel (uncredited)

Rescued from the Closet
Andy by Gus