Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant

Born 1952-07-24 (age 73) Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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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

Finding Forrester
Finding Forrester

2000

as Library Assistant (uncredited)

My Own Private Idaho
My Own Private Idaho

1991

as Man Behind Hotel Counter (uncredited)

Psycho
Psycho

1998

as Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
The Canyons
The Canyons

2013

as Dr. Campbell

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

Paranoid Park
Paranoid Park

2007

as Guy Reading Newspaper (uncredited)

The Trainer
The Trainer

2024

as Gus Van Sant

Zeroville
Zeroville

2019

as Film Archive Curator

Last Days
Last Days

2005

as Phone Voice (voice)

Mala Noche
Mala Noche

1987

as Guy at Hotel (uncredited)

Illegal Civilization 3
Psycho Path
Psycho Path

1999

as Self - Director

Rescued from the Closet
Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open
Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open

2023

as Self (interview)

Strange Parallel
Strange Parallel

1998

as Self