My Own Private Idaho - actors, characters and roles

All actors and their roles in the film "My Own Private Idaho"
My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Timing: 1:44 (104 min)
My Own Private Idaho - TMDB rating
7.1/10
1088
My Own Private Idaho - Kinopoisk rating
7.107/10
19950
My Own Private Idaho - IMDB rating
7/10
60569

Actors and characters

Photo River Phoenix #53958Photo River Phoenix #53959Photo River Phoenix #53960Photo River Phoenix #53961

River Phoenix

River Phoenix
Character Michael "Mike" Waters
Photo Keanu Reeves #19337Photo Keanu Reeves #19338Photo Keanu Reeves #19339Photo Keanu Reeves #19340

Keanu Reeves

Keanu Reeves
Character Scott Favor
Photo William Richert #107111Photo William Richert #107112

William Richert

William Richert
Character Bob Pigeon
Photo Udo Kier #2542Photo Udo Kier #2543Photo Udo Kier #2544Photo Udo Kier #2545

Udo Kier

Udo Kier
Character Hans
Photo Chiara Caselli #107114Photo Chiara Caselli #107115
Chiara Caselli
Character Carmella
Photo James Russo #27340

James Russo

James Russo
Character Richard Waters
Michael Parker
Character Digger
Photo Flea #8762Photo Flea #8763

Flea

Flea
Character Budd
Photo Tom Troupe #87475Photo Tom Troupe #87476
Tom Troupe
Character Jack Favor
Sally Curtice
Character Jane Lightwork
Robert Lee Pitchlynn
Character Walt
Photo Mickey Cottrell #78360
Mickey Cottrell
Character Daddy Carroll
Wade Evans
Character Wade
Matthew Ebert
Character Coverboy
Tom Cramer
Character Coverboy
Photo Vana O
Vana O'Brien
Character Sharon Waters
Photo Shaun Jordan #107116Photo Shaun Jordan #107117
Shaun Jordan
Character Cafe Kid
Photo Scott Patrick Green #91534
Scott Patrick Green
Character Coverboy / Cafe Kid
Shawn Wight
Character Cafe Kid
George Conner
Character Bad George
Oliver Kirk
Character Indian Cop
Stanley Hainsworth
Character Dirtman
Joshua Halladay
Character Baby Mike
Douglas Tollenen
Character Little Richard
Steven Clark Pachosa
Character Hotel Manager
Lannie Swerdlow
Character Disco Manager
Wally Gaarsland
Character Rock Promoter
Bryan Wilson
Character Rock Promoter
Mark Weaver
Character Rock Promoter
Conrad 'Bud' Montgomery
Character Rock Promoter
Pat Patterson
Character Cop
Steve Vernelson
Character Cop
Mike Cascadden
Character Cop
Photo Eric Hull #107118
Eric Hull
Character Mayor's Aid
James A. Arling
Character Minister
Photo Jim Caviezel #5133Photo Jim Caviezel #5134Photo Jim Caviezel #5135

Jim Caviezel

Jim Caviezel
Character Airline Clerk
Ana Cavinato
Character Stewardess
Greg Murphy
Character Carl
David Reppinhagen
Character Yuppie at Jake's
Tiger Warren
Character Himself
Massimo Di Cataldo
Character Italian Street Boy
Robert Egon
Character Italian Street Boy
Paolo Baiocco
Character Italian Street Boy
Mario Stracciarolo
Character Mike's Italian Client
Photo Gus Van Sant #71069

Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant
Character Man Behind Hotel Counter (uncredited)
Photo Pao Pei Andreoli #107119Photo Pao Pei Andreoli #107120Photo Pao Pei Andreoli #107121
Pao Pei Andreoli
Character Italian Street Boy

What's left behind the scenes

  • Director Gus Van Sant made a cameo appearance in the film – as the hotel porter where Mike, Scott, and Hans are staying.
  • Most of the actors (including River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, and Michael Parker) moved into Gus Van Sant’s old house in Portland, Oregon, for the duration of filming. They caused such a mess in the house – with constant parties, drinking, and late-night gatherings – that Gus was eventually forced to move in with friends just to get some sleep.
  • The film's plot contains an allusion to Orson Welles' "The Lady from Shanghai," which in turn heavily utilizes material from William Shakespeare's "Henry IV."
  • The film's title is based on a song by the B-52's.
  • The main characters were named Mike and Scott after real male escorts the director met while working on his previous film, "Bad Night" (1985).
  • It took Gus Van Sant years to complete the screenplay. After finishing it, Van Sant found that studios were unwilling to finance a film about two male escorts. He sent a copy of the script to the agents of Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix, whom he wanted to cast in the lead roles. Reeves received the script and agreed to star, while Phoenix’s agent didn’t even show it to his client. Keanu befriended River on the set of "I Love You to Death" (1990), and also starred alongside his brother Joaquin Phoenix in "Parents" (1989). Keanu traveled to the Phoenix family for Christmas, riding his motorcycle from Canada to Florida. He brought the script with him, and after reading it, River agreed to take the part.
  • In the first scene in the cafe, the song playing in the background is called "Too Many Colors," performed by River Phoenix’s band Aleka's Attic.
  • Udo Kier’s yellow motorcycle is a British 750cc Norton Commando.
  • On the roof, when Mike wakes up and Bob returns to town with Bud, the voice of Matt Dillon can be heard on television. The scene playing is from "Drugstore Cowboy" (1989), an earlier film by Gus Van Sant.
  • Gus Van Sant offered the role of Bob Pigeon to Dennis Hopper, but he declined. The role went to William Richert, who was recommended by River Phoenix, as Richert had previously filmed Phoenix in "One Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon" (1988).
  • River Phoenix was absent from the New York premiere of the film. He disliked flying and traveled primarily by car or train. As a result, he was simply late, and the premiere took place without him.
  • In an early version of the script, the action took place in Las Vegas.
  • The character of Bob was based on a drug dealer from Portland, Oregon.
  • While writing the screenplay, Gus Van Sant was inspired by Stanley Kubrick.
  • The Norton Commando motorcycle used in the film was owned by Keanu Reeves.
  • When Scott and Mike first appear in Portland, they are sitting below a statue of a moose with a Native American riding it. The statue is real and still exists in Portland. However, the rider was added by Gus Van Sant. It was a production assistant covered in paint and sitting motionless on the moose statue.
  • The famous campfire scene was written by River Phoenix and differed from the original script. The key phrases expressing the idea of the difference between love and sex, spoken in this scene, were invented by River.
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