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Gus Van Sant

Directing 73 years old Louisville, Kentucky, USA ★ 1.4
Born: July 24, 1952

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.

External Links

🌐 Official Website 🎬 IMDb 📷 Instagram

Known For

Dead Man's Wire
Dead Man's Wire Director 2026
Promised Land
Promised Land Director 2012
Good Will Hunting
Good Will Hunting Director 1997
Restless
Restless Director 2011
FEUD
FEUD Director 2017

Filmography

Acting Credits (53)

The Trainer
The Trainer Gus Van Sant 2024
Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open
Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open Self (interview) 2023
Andy by Gus
Andy by Gus 2023
At the Video Store
At the Video Store Self 2019
Zeroville
Zeroville Film Archive Curator 2019
Illegal Civilization 3
Illegal Civilization 3 Self 2018
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot Willamette Week Editor 2018
Thank You for Supporting the Arts
Thank You for Supporting the Arts 2018
Ain't It Funny
Ain't It Funny Dad 2017
Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible
Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible Self 2016
I Don't Belong Anywhere: The Cinema of Chantal Akerman
I Don't Belong Anywhere: The Cinema of Chantal Akerman Self 2015
About Cinema
About Cinema Self 2015
The Canyons
The Canyons Dr. Campbell 2013
The Greatest Event in Television History
The Greatest Event in Television History Self 2012
Reflecting On A Journey: Good Will Hunting 15 Years Later
Reflecting On A Journey: Good Will Hunting 15 Years Later Self 2012
A Special Day
A Special Day Self 2012
The Advocate for Fagdom
The Advocate for Fagdom Self 2011
The Story of Film: An Odyssey
The Story of Film: An Odyssey Self 2011
Two Films, One Legacy
Two Films, One Legacy 2011
Portlandia
Portlandia Gus Van Sant 2011
William S. Burroughs: A Man Within
William S. Burroughs: A Man Within Self 2010
Making Paranoid Park
Making Paranoid Park 2008
Critic
Critic Self 2008
In the Mood for Doyle
In the Mood for Doyle Self 2007
Paranoid Park
Paranoid Park Guy Reading Newspaper (uncredited) 2007
Here’s Looking at You, Boy
Here’s Looking at You, Boy Self 2007
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema Self 2006
Last Days
Last Days Phone Voice (voice) 2005
The Making of ‘My Own Private Idaho’
The Making of ‘My Own Private Idaho’ Self 2005
Entourage
Entourage Gus Van Sant 2004
On the Set of 'Elephant': Rolling Through Time
On the Set of 'Elephant': Rolling Through Time Himself 2004
Leçon de Cinéma
Leçon de Cinéma Self 2004
The Making of Last Days
The Making of Last Days Himself 2004
Saltlake Van Sant
Saltlake Van Sant Self 2003
About Elephant
About Elephant Self 2003
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Gus Van Sant 2001
Rescued from the Closet
Rescued from the Closet Self 2001
Finding Forrester
Finding Forrester Library Assistant (uncredited) 2000
Psycho Path
Psycho Path Self - Director 2000
The Making of Drugstore Cowboy
The Making of Drugstore Cowboy 1999
Psycho
Psycho Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited) 1998
Strange Parallel
Strange Parallel Self 1998
The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft
The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft himself 1998
Guns on the Clackamas
Guns on the Clackamas 1995
Hi Octane
Hi Octane Self 1994
Made in the USA
Made in the USA Self 1993
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Funky Monks
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Funky Monks Self 1991
My Own Private Idaho
My Own Private Idaho Man Behind Hotel Counter (uncredited) 1991
Drugstore Cowboy
Drugstore Cowboy Himself (uncredited) 1989
Junior
Junior Himself 1988
Mala Noche
Mala Noche Guy at Hotel (uncredited) 1987
Five Ways to Kill Yourself
Five Ways to Kill Yourself 1987
Nightmare Typhoon
Nightmare Typhoon Gus

Directing Credits (52)

Dead Man's Wire
Dead Man's Wire Director 2026
Ouverture of Something That Never Ended
Ouverture of Something That Never Ended Director 2020
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot Director 2018
FEUD
FEUD Director 2017
When We Rise
When We Rise Director 2017
The Sea of Trees
The Sea of Trees Director 2016
Promised Land
Promised Land Director 2012
My Own Private River
My Own Private River Director 2012
Boss
Boss Director 2011
Restless
Restless Director 2011
Milk
Milk Director 2008
8
8 Director 2008
Mansion on the Hill
Mansion on the Hill Director 2008
To Each His Own Cinema
To Each His Own Cinema Director 2007
Paranoid Park
Paranoid Park Director 2007
Paris Je T'aime
Paris Je T'aime Director 2006
Le Marais
Le Marais Director 2006
Cinema16: American Short Films
Cinema16: American Short Films Director 2006
Best of Chris Isaak
Best of Chris Isaak Director 2006
Last Days
Last Days Director 2005
Elephant
Elephant Director 2003
Gerry
Gerry Director 2002
David Bowie: Best of Bowie
David Bowie: Best of Bowie Director 2002
Finding Forrester
Finding Forrester Director 2000
Easter
Easter Director 2000
De Witt Clinton Choir
De Witt Clinton Choir Director 2000
Psycho
Psycho Director 1998
Good Will Hunting
Good Will Hunting Director 1997
Ballad of the Skeletons
Ballad of the Skeletons Director 1997
Four Boys in a Volvo
Four Boys in a Volvo Director 1996
To Die For
To Die For Director 1995
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Director 1994
My Own Private Idaho
My Own Private Idaho Director 1991
Thanksgiving Prayer
Thanksgiving Prayer Director 1991
Flea Sings
Flea Sings Director 1991
Drugstore Cowboy
Drugstore Cowboy Director 1989
Ken Death Gets Out of Jail
Ken Death Gets Out of Jail Director 1988
Junior
Junior Director 1988
Mala Noche
Mala Noche Director 1987
Five Ways to Kill Yourself
Five Ways to Kill Yourself Director 1987
My New Friend
My New Friend Director 1987
Switzerland
Switzerland Director 1985
The Discipline of D.E.
The Discipline of D.E. Director 1982
Psycho Shampoo
Psycho Shampoo Director 1979
1/2 of a Telephone Conversation
1/2 of a Telephone Conversation Director 1973
Little Johnny
Little Johnny Director 1972
The Happy Organ
The Happy Organ Director 1971
Killing Gawker
Killing Gawker Director
The Prince of Fashion
The Prince of Fashion Director
My Friend
My Friend Director
Explain it Like I’m Five
Explain it Like I’m Five Director
Nightmare Typhoon
Nightmare Typhoon Director

Writing Credits (17)

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