Gus Van Sant
Born: 1952-07-24 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Known For: Directing
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.
Filmography
2026
- Dead Man's Wire ... (Director)
2024
- The Trainer as Gus Van Sant
2023
- Andy by Gus
- Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open as Self (interview)
2021
- Joe Gives Up and Moves to Montana ... (Producer)
2020
- Ouverture of Something That Never Ended ... (Director)
- Ouverture Of Something That Never Ended ... (Creator)
2019
- Zeroville as Film Archive Curator
- At the Video Store as Self
2018
- Age Out ... (Executive Producer)
- Illegal Civilization 3 as Self
- Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot as Willamette Week Editor
- Thank You for Supporting the Arts
2017
- FEUD ... (Executive Producer)
- When We Rise ... (Executive Producer)
2016
- Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible as Self
- The Sea of Trees ... (Director)
2015
- I Am Michael ... (Executive Producer)
- About Cinema as Self
- I Don't Belong Anywhere: The Cinema of Chantal Akerman as Self
2013
- The Canyons as Dr. Campbell
- Strutter ... (Thanks)
2012
- Laurence Anyways ... (Executive Producer)
- A Special Day as Self
- My Own Private River ... (Director)
- The Greatest Event in Television History as Self
- Promised Land ... (Director)
- Reflecting On A Journey: Good Will Hunting 15 Years Later as Self
2011
- Portlandia as Gus Van Sant
- The Advocate for Fagdom as Self
- The Story of Film: An Odyssey as Self
- Restless ... (Director)
2010
- Virginia ... (Executive Producer)
- Howl ... (Executive Producer)
- I'm Still Here ... (Thanks)
- William S. Burroughs: A Man Within as Self
- Shit Year ... (Thanks)
2009
- Accidents Happen ... (Thanks)
2008
- Critic as Self
- Milk ... (Director)
- 8 ... (Director)
- Mansion on the Hill ... (Director)
- Making Paranoid Park
2007
- Paranoid Park as Guy Reading Newspaper (uncredited)
- First Kiss ... (Director)
- In the Mood for Doyle as Self
- Here’s Looking at You, Boy as Self
- To Each His Own Cinema ... (Director)
2006
- Le Marais ... (Writer)
- Paris Je T'aime ... (Director)
- Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema as Self
- Best of Chris Isaak ... (Director)
- Wild Tigers I Have Known ... (Executive Producer)
- Cinema16: American Short Films ... (Director)
2005
- Last Days as Phone Voice (voice)
- The Making of ‘My Own Private Idaho’ as Self
2004
- Entourage as Gus Van Sant
- The Making of Last Days as Himself
- Leçon de Cinéma as Self
- On the Set of 'Elephant': Rolling Through Time as Himself
2003
- Elephant ... (Screenplay)
- About Elephant as Self
- Tarnation ... (Executive Producer)
- Saltlake Van Sant as Self
2002
- David Bowie: Best of Bowie ... (Director)
- Gerry ... (Editor)
2001
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back as Gus Van Sant
- Rescued from the Closet as Self
2000
- Finding Forrester as Library Assistant (uncredited)
- Easter ... (Director)
- De Witt Clinton Choir ... (Director)
- Psycho Path as Self - Director
1999
- Speedway Junky ... (Executive Producer)
- The Making of Drugstore Cowboy
1998
- Psycho as Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)
- The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft as himself
- Strange Parallel as Self
1997
- Good Will Hunting ... (Director)
- Ballad of the Skeletons ... (Writer)
1996
- Four Boys in a Volvo ... (Director)
1995
- Kids ... (Executive Producer)
- To Die For ... (Director)
- Guns on the Clackamas
1994
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues ... (Director)
- Hi Octane as Self
1993
- Made in the USA as Self
1991
- My Own Private Idaho as Man Behind Hotel Counter (uncredited)
- Thanksgiving Prayer ... (Director)
- Flea Sings ... (Director)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monks as Self
1989
- Drugstore Cowboy as Himself (uncredited)
1988
- Junior as Himself
- Ken Death Gets Out of Jail ... (Director)
1987
- Five Ways to Kill Yourself
- Mala Noche as Guy at Hotel (uncredited)
- My New Friend ... (Director)
1985
- Switzerland ... (Director)
1982
- The Discipline of D.E. ... (Director)
1979
- Property ... (Sound)
- Psycho Shampoo ... (Director)
1973
- 1/2 of a Telephone Conversation ... (Director)
1972
- Little Johnny ... (Director)
1971
- The Happy Organ ... (Director)