His early career was devoted to directing television commercials in the Pacific Northwest. Van Sant is openly gay, and several of his motion picture include gay themes or even characters.

A few of the picture show he has written and/or directed include an adaptation of Tom Robbins' novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, which featured a diverse cast (Keanu Reeves, Roseanne Barr, Uma Thurman, k.d. lang, and cameos by William S Burroughs and a then-unknown Heather Graham, among others); My Own Private Idaho also starred Reeves as well as the late River Phoenix. As an actor, van Sant has appeared inside the cameo on screen in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,

Van Sant was nominated for the Better Director Academy Award in 1998 for Good Will Hunting, and won Better Director & ''Palme d'Or at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival for his film Elephant.

He has written a screenplays for virtually all of his early picture, & has written 1 novel, Pinkish (ISBN 0385493533). The book of his photography has as well been published known as 108 Portraits (ISBN 0944092225).

As a musician, van Sant has freed 2 albums: Gus van Sant & Xviii Songs All about Golf game.

Director - filmography
The Time Traveler's Wife (2006) - announced Paris, je t'aime (2005) - (segment "4e arrondissement") Last Days (2005) Elephant (2003) Gerry (2002) Finding Forrester (2000) Psycho (1998 - a remake) Ballad of the Skeletons (1997) Good Will Hunting (1997) Four Boys in a Volvo (1996) To Die For (1995) Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993) Under The Bridge (1992) - Music video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers My Own Private Idaho (1991) Thanksgiving Prayer (1991) Drugstore Cowboy (1989) Ken Death Gets Out of Jail (1987) My New Friend (1987) Five Ways to Kill Yourself (1987) Mala Noche'' (1985)

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