3. Gus Van Sant
Gus Van Sant Jr. is a writer, musician, cinematographer and film director from Louisville, Kentucky. He was fascinated with painting and art from an early age graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. His first feature film was Mala Noche, which was praised by the Los Angeles Critics Association. In 1988, Van Sant was nominated for Oscar in Good Will Hunting and finally won an Oscar for the Elephant in 2003.