Milk (film) Milk (film) Milk is a 2008 American biographical film based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Dustin Lance Black, the film stars Sean Penn as Milk and Josh Brolin as Dan White, a city supervisor who assassinated Milk and Mayor George Moscone. The film was released to much acclaim and earned numerous accolades from film critics and guilds. Ultimately, it received eight
Scott Smith (activist) model; sometimes Milk spent entire rolls of film just taking pictures of Smith. Smith fell into a very deep depression after Milk was killed. With Frank M. Robinson, he was the executor of Milk's last will and testament. Smith died of pneumonia, possibly stemming from HIV/AIDS on February 4, 1995 at the age of 46. In the 2008 feature film "Milk", the role of Scott Smith was played by James Franco. Scott Smith (activist) Joseph Scott Smith (October 21, 1948 – February 4, 1995) was a gay rights activist best known for his romantic relationship with Harvey Milk, for whom