How an ACT UP Activist Contributed to River Phoenix's Beloved Queer Performance in 'My Own Private Idaho'

Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix star in Gus Van Sant's 'My Own Private Idaho' (1991).

One of Gus Van Sant’s most important queer films was nearly about two straight guys renting themselves out to gay men.

Shortly before the 30th anniversary of River Phoenix’s death at age 23, Gus recounted working with the young actor on his beloved 1991 film My Own Private Idaho, and how Phoenix's decision to make his narcoleptic protagonist Mike Waters gay ultimately made the film "more human."

"It was River's idea to play the character as a gay character because his friend Matt Ebert had come along with him from a film that he had just shot. Matt was an ACT UP member [who also appeared in the movie], and he just said, 'You know, you just got to play a gay character. Like, that's just the way it is.' And he really listened to that and really wanted to be connecting to the politics of what we were doing," recalls Gus. "So, we changed the character."

What resulted is a tender campfire scene between street hustlers Mike and Scott (Keanu Reeves), in which the former professes his love for his best friend.

As Phoenix died of combined drug intoxication on Oct. 31, 1993, My Own Private Idaho became one of his final films and remains one of his most treasured performances.

Inspired by the works of Shakespeare and set in the streets of Gus’ Portland, Oregon stomping grounds, My Own Private Idaho follows the two young men in search of Mike's mother, which takes them to his hometown in Idaho and on to Rome.

Gus says he was inspired by a "very underground" scene in Portland and other cities "that really existed," noting: "It was straight boys selling themselves for sex. It wasn't really a gay culture. It was a subversive, below-the-radar and very much in-the-closet arena within the gay world.

"The politics of the original script were sort of a bizarre aspect of that culture. There are gay acts going on, but it's between people that thought of themselves as straight," he explains. "But that bizarreness became more human, I think, with River playing a gay character and not as severe as maybe the original script."

Although My Own Private Idaho was originally Gus’ attempt to return to the low-budget style of filmmaking magic he found with Mala Noche, its two young stars made that impossible. "It started to have a different kind of profile," he says.

With both actors in high demand at prime moments in their careers, the director notes, "Big films were getting refused by both those guys because they were busy doing our film. So it was kind of amazing, both River and Keanu's dedication to the project and that they were able to join it, basically. Because it was definitely a bizarre script."

My Own Private Idaho is now available to rent and own on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.