Gus Van Sant

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.

Known For

Gus Van Sant

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

Self

Made in the USA

Self

William S. Burroughs: A Man Within

Guns on the Clackamas

Dr. Campbell

The Canyons

Self

The Advocate for Fagdom

Self

Strange Parallel

Gus Van Sant

The Trainer

Self

Schau mir in die Augen, Kleiner

Self

In the Mood for Doyle

Library Assistant (uncredited)

Finding Forrester

Himself

On the Set of 'Elephant': Rolling Through Time

Self (interview)

Nicole Kidman : les yeux grand ouverts

Film Archive Curator

Zeroville

Self

Xavier Dolan: à l'impossible je suis tenu

Self

About Elephant

Self

At the Video Store

Self

Um Filme de Cinema

Himself

who is Gus Van Sant?

Self

I Don’t Belong Anywhere : Le Cinéma de Chantal Akerman

Self

Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema

Self

Saltlake Van Sant

Self - Director

Psycho Path

Self

The Making of ‘My Own Private Idaho’

Self

Une Journée particulière

Thank You for Supporting the Arts

Himself

Junior

Willamette Week Editor

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

Phone Voice (voice)

Last Days

Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)

Psycho

Guy at Hotel (uncredited)

Mala Noche

Man Behind Hotel Counter (uncredited)

My Own Private Idaho

Guy Reading Newspaper (uncredited)

Paranoid Park

Himself

The Making of Last Days

Five Ways to Kill Yourself

Self

Crítico

The Making of Drugstore Cowboy

Making Paranoid Park

Himself (uncredited)

Drugstore Cowboy

Self

Illegal Civilization 3

Self

Rescued from the Closet

Self

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monks

Self

Reflecting On A Journey: Good Will Hunting 15 Years Later

himself

The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft

Personal Info

Known For

Directing

Known Credits

44

Gender

Male

Birthday

1952-07-24

Place of Birth

Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Also Known As

Gus Van Sant Jr.