keanu reeves biography book

Keanu Reeves

• Born September 2 , 1964 · Beirut, Lebanon
• Birth name Keanu Charles Reeves
• Height 6′ 1″ (1.86 m)
• Keanu Charles Reeves, whose first name means "cool breeze over the mountains" in Hawaiian, was born September 2, 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon. He is the son of Patric Reeves , a showgirl and costume designer, and Samuel Nowlin Reeves, a geologist. Keanu's father was born in Hawaii, of British, Portuguese, Native Hawaiian, and Chinese ancestry, and Keanu's mother is originally from Essex England. After his parents' marriage dissolved, Keanu moved with his mother and younger sister, Kim Reeves , to New York City, then Toronto. Stepfather #1 was Paul Aaron , a stage and film director - he and Patricia divorced within a year, after which she went on to marry (and divorce) rock promoter Robert Miller. Reeves never reconnected with his biological father. In high school, Reeves was lukewarm toward academics but took a keen interest in ice hockey (as team goalie, he earned the nickname "The Wall") and drama. He eventually dropped out of school to pursue an acting career. After a few stage gigs and a handful of made-for-TV movies, he scored a supporting role in the Rob Lowe hockey flick Youngblood (1986) , which was filmed in Canada. Shortly after the production wrapped, Reeves packed his bags and headed for Hollywood. Reeves popped up on critics' radar with his performance in the dark adolescent drama, River's Edge (1986) , and landed a supporting role in the Oscar-nominated Dangerous Liaisons (1988) with director Stephen Frears . His first popular success was the role of totally rad dude Ted "Theodore" Logan in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) . The wacky time-travel movie became something of a cultural phenomenon, and audiences would forever confuse Reeves's real-life persona with that of his doofy on-screen counterpart. He then joined the casts of Ron Howard 's comedy, Parenthood (1989) and Lawrence Kasdan 's I Love You to Death (1990) . Over the next few years, Reeves tried to shake the Ted stigma with a series of highbrow projects. He played a slumming rich boy opposite River Phoenix 's narcoleptic male hustler in My Own Private Idaho (1991) , an unlucky lawyer who stumbles into the vampire's lair in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) , and Shakespearean party-pooper Don John in Much Ado About Nothing (1993) . In 1994, the understated actor became a big-budget action star with the release of Speed (1994) . Its success heralded an era of five years in which Reeves would alternate between small films, like Feeling Minnesota (1996) and The Last Time I Committed Suicide (1997) , and big films like A Walk in the Clouds (1995) and The Devil's Advocate (1997) . (There were a couple misfires, too: Johnny Mnemonic (1995) and Chain Reaction (1996) .) After all this, Reeves did the unthinkable and passed on the Speed sequel, but he struck box-office gold again a few years later with the Wachowski siblings' cyberadventure, The Matrix (1999) . Now a bonafide box-office star, Keanu would appear in a string of smaller films -- among them The Replacements (2000) , The Watcher (2000) , The Gift (2000) , Sweet November (2001) , and Hardball (2001) - before The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003) were both released in 2003. Since the end of The Matrix trilogy, Keanu has divided his time between mainstream and indie fare, landing hits with Something's Gotta Give (2003) , The Lake House (2006) , and Street Kings (2008) . He's kept Matrix fans satiated with films such as Constantine (2005) , A Scanner Darkly (2006) , and The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) . And he's waded back into art-house territory with Ellie Parker (2005) , Thumbsucker (2005) , The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) , and Henry's Crime (2010) . Most recently, as post-production on the samurai epic 47 Ronin (2013) waged on, Keanu appeared in front of the camera in Side by Side (2012) , a documentary on celluloid and digital filmmaking, which he also produced. He also directed another Asian-influenced project, Man of Tai Chi (2013) . In 2014, Keanu played the title role in the action revenge film John Wick (2014) , which became popular with critics and audiences alike. He reprised the role in John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) , taking the now-iconic character to a better opening weekend and even more enthusiastic reviews than the first go-around. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous
• Children No Children
• Parents Samuel Nowlin Reeves Patric Reeves
• Relatives Kim Reeves (Sibling) Karina Miller (Half Sibling) Emma Reeves (Half Sibling)
• Intense contemplative gaze
• Deep husky voice
• Known for playing stoic reserved characters
• Friendly, down-to-earth personality
• Very good friends with his Bill & Ted co-star, Alex Winter and has remained in contact with him. Keanu has also contributed cameo appearances and helped with a number of Winter's film projects.
• Learned over 200 martial arts moves for The Matrix Reloaded (2003) .
• Took a 90% pay cut on his salary on The Replacements (2000) so Gene Hackman could be cast. Previously, he had deferred $2 million of his salary so that Al Pacino could be cast on The Devil's Advocate (1997) .
• His name means "cool breeze over the mountains" in Hawaiian.
• His best friend was actor River Phoenix . He is also friends with River's brother Joaquin Phoenix .
• What would happen if you melted? You know, you never really hear this talked about much, but spontaneous combustion? It exists!...[people] burn from within...sometimes they'll be in a wooden chair and the chair won't burn, but there'll be nothing left of the person. Except sometimes his teeth. Or the heart. No one speaks about this, but its for real.
• My name can't be *that* tough to pronounce!
• When I don't feel free and can't do what I want I just react. I go against it.
• [when told he would have to "bite the bullet"] Yes, but I don't have to eat the whole rifle.
• I'm a meathead, man. You've got smart people, and you've got dumb people. I just happen to be dumb.
• The Matrix Resurrections (2021) - $13,000,000 + box office grosses and bonuses
• John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) - 2,250,000+box office bonuses
• John Wick (2014) - $15,000,000
• The Matrix Revolutions (2003) - $15,000,000 + 15% of the gross
• The Matrix Reloaded (2003) - $15,000,000 + 15% of the gross

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Keanu Reeves

Actor Keanu Reeves has starred in the movies 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure,' 'Speed,' 'The Matrix' and 'John Wick,' among many other projects.

Who Is Keanu Reeves?

Keanu Reeves was born on September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon, and was raised in Toronto, Canada. He first gained attention for his performance in River's Edge , while the comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and its sequel, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, brought him major recognition. Reeves has developed an eclectic film roster that includes the action flick Speed and the sci-fi blockbusters The Matrix and its sequels, as well as more art-house fare like My Own Private Idaho and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee . Reeves made his directorial debut in 2013 with Man of Tai Chi .

Early Career

Of Chinese-Hawaiian heritage on his geologist father’s side, Reeves’ first name translates from Hawaiian to English as “cool breeze over the mountains.” Reeves’ mom worked in entertainment as a performer and later a costume designer. Upon his parents’ split, the youngster moved with his mother and sister to New York and then Toronto. Reeves developed an ardor for hockey, though he would eventually turn to acting, garnering TV roles and making his big-screen debut in the 1985 Canadian feature One Step Away .

'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'

'My Own Private Idaho,' 'Point Break,' 'Speed'

Though Reeves would often face criticism for his deadpan delivery and perceived limited range as an actor, he nonetheless took on roles in a variety of genres over the ensuing decade, doing everything from introspective art-house fare to action-packed thrillers.

My Own Private Idaho (1991), directed by Gus Van Sant and co-starring River Phoenix , chronicled the lives of two young sex workers living on the streets, while Point Break (1991) turned the actor into an undercover FBI agent who gets caught up in the criminal lives of surfing bank robbers. Francis Ford Coppola ’s adaptation of Bram Stoker ’s Dracula (1992), co-starring Gary Oldman , Winona Ryder and Anthony Hopkins , saw Reeves embodying the calm resoluteness of character Jonathan Harker. 1994 saw the actor starring opposite Sandra Bullock in the hit action flick Speed , followed by work that included the romantic drama A Walk in the Clouds (1995) and the supernatural thriller Devil’s Advocate (1997), co-starring Al Pacino and Charlize Theron .

'The Matrix'

At the close of the decade, Reeves starred in a sci-fi film that would become a genre game changer— The Matrix . Directed by Andy and Lana Wachowski, the 1999 movie followed Reeves as prophetic figure Neo, slated to lead humanity to freedom from an all-consuming simulated world. Known for its innovative fight sequences, avant-garde special effects and gorgeous fashion, The Matrix was an international hit. Two sequels were filmed together and released in 2003 to a more mixed reception, though the second installment, The Matrix Reloaded, was a bigger financial blockbuster than its predecessor.

In summer 2019, 16 years after the release of The Matrix Reloaded , it was announced that a fourth film in the franchise was in the works, with Reeves set to return as Neo.

'Something's Gotta Give,' 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'

Even with mainstream success, Reeves continued working in different genres, as seen with his roles as an abusive man in The Gift (2000), starring Cate Blanchett , a smitten doctor in Something’s Gotta Give (2003) opposite Diane Keaton , and a Brit demon hunter in Constantine (2005). Reeves returned to sci-fi as alien Klaatu in the 2008 remake of the classic The Day the Earth Stood Still , co-starring Jennifer Connelly and Jaden Smith .

'Man of Tai Chi,' 'John Wick,' 'Toy Story 4'

The following decade saw the actor making his directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi (2013). Martial arts–based themes continued in Reeves' next feature, the widely panned 47 Ronin (2013), which was followed in 2014 by the more critically well-received John Wick , co-starring Willem Dafoe and John Leguizamo and its sequel John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017). After co-starring with Winona Ryder in the rom-com Destination Wedding (2018), Reeves faced a busy 2019 with the release of the sci-fi thriller Replicas ; a return to action fare in John Wick 3: Parabellum ; a supporting role in the Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe and his entry into a major animated franchise as the voice of stuntman Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4.

In 1999, Reeves and his girlfriend Jennifer Syme had a daughter, Ava Archer Syme-Reeves, born eight months stillborn. The loss of their daughter devastated the couple and caused the end of their relationship.

Two years later, Jennifer was involved in a fatal car accident where she rammed into three cars and was thrown out of her vehicle. It was later reported she was on anti-depressant medication.

Other Interests

His artistic aspirations not limited to film, Reeves co-founded the band Dogstar in the early 1990s. Dogstar enjoyed modest success, releasing two albums during Reeves' decade-long run as its bass player. He later played bass for a band called Becky for about a year.

Reeves is also a longtime motorcycle enthusiast. After asking designer Gard Hollinger to create a custom-built bike for him, the two went into business together with the formation of Arch Motorcycle Company LLC in 2011.

Reported to be one of the more generous actors in Hollywood, Reeves helped care for his sister during her lengthy battle with leukemia, and has supported such organizations as Stand Up To Cancer and PETA.

In August 2018, while promoting Destination Wedding with Ryder, Reeves seemed surprised to learn that he may be legally married to his co-star. Ryder said it was the result of filming their wedding scene for Dracula , as a real Romanian priest had conducted a full marriage ceremony.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth date: September 2, 1964
• Birth City: Beirut
• Birth Country: Lebanon
• Best Known For: Actor Keanu Reeves has starred in the movies 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure,' 'Speed,' 'The Matrix' and 'John Wick,' among many other projects.
• Astrological Sign: Virgo
• Avondale Alternative
• De La Salle College

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us !

• I was never the kind of actor who was only interested in my own performance and that’s it. I’ve always enjoyed being on sets and seeing where the camera was going and looking at the shooting schedule and understanding how the production is put together and how I fit into the story as a whole.
• I enjoyed [River Phoenix's] company. Very much. And enjoyed his mind and his spirit and his soul. We brought good out in each other. He was a real original thinker. He was not the status quo. In anything.
• People say, ‘Another inscrutable deadpan performance.’ I mostly find these things amusing. Something like ‘Point Break Live!’ is a funny idea, I can understand that. Ultimately you hope that people like what you do. It’s a drag when they don’t. The weirdest thing for me is when people assume that I’m the person I’m playing.

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Keanu Reeves

The Book of Elsewhere

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Keanu Reeves announces new novel with China Miéville

Coming july 2024.

The Book of Elsewhere

By keanu reeves and china miéville.

The legendary Keanu Reeves and inimitable writer China Miéville team up on this genre-bending epic of ancient powers, modern war, and an outcast who cannot die.

United Kingdom Edition

About the authors.

As a remarkably eclectic actor,  Keanu Reeves  has made an indelible mark on the world of entertainment through the diverse roles he has played. He is most known for his starring roles in The Matrix and John Wick franchises. Reeves made his comic book-writing debut in 2021 with BRZRKR, a twelve-issue and graphic novel limited series distributed through BOOM! Studios, which quickly became the highest-selling original comic book series debut in over twenty-five years. In 2023, he returned to the big screen in John Wick: Chapter 4, which became the highest-grossing film in the franchise. His other recent projects include The Matrix Resurrections, John Wick 3: Parabellum, Always Be My Maybe, Toy Story 4, and the video game Cyberpunk 2077 . Raised in Toronto, Reeves performed in various local theater productions and on television before relocating to Los Angeles.

China Miéville  is a  New York Times bestselling author of fiction and nonfiction. His novels include  The City & The City ,  Embassytown,  and  Perdido Street Station . A recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship for fiction, he has won the World Fantasy, the Hugo, and the Arthur C. Clarke Awards, among others. His nonfiction includes a study of international law and a history of the Russian Revolution.

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Keanu Reeves

• Books By Keanu Reeves

BRZRKR, Volume 2

BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness

BRZRKR Deluxe Limited Edition Slipcase

Brzrkr Deluxe Edition: Brzrkr DLX

Ode to Happiness

Books by Keanu Reeves

Releases 10/1/2024

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Keanu Reeves saying ‘my honey’ and customizing tees gives us more reasons to love him

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Keanu Reeves offered a rare glimpse into his personal life this week when he shared his last moment of bliss.

“A couple of days ago with my honey,” the doting “John Wick: Chapter 4” star said during People magazine‘s One Last Thing interview . That “honey,” we suspect, was a reference to his longtime girlfriend, Los Angeles artist Alexandra Grant.

“We were in bed. We were connected. We were smiling and laughing and giggling. Feeling great. It was just really nice to be together,” he said, sharing details about the the blissful moment.

Reeves’ remarks got fans gushing over the cherished “Matrix” and “Speed” star all over again.

“This is why people love Keanu,” wrote a fan in the comments section of the YouTube video showing the interview.

Entertainment & Arts

Keanu Reeves and Alexandra Grant have been holding hands for years, folks

Keanu Reeves and artist Alexandra Grant held hands over the weekend, sparking more speculation that they’re a couple. Here’s what you need to know to catch up.

Nov. 5, 2019

“[He’s] so wonderfully normal. I feel like I could go say hi,” wrote another.

“Aw, who doesn’t envy her? Keanu Reeves saying that about you for all the world to hear. I’m happy he’s so happy with her,” said another commenter.

Reeves, 58, and Grant, 49, have worked together and showed subtle PDA for years . The actor collaborated with Grant on two books, “Ode to Happiness” in 2011 and “Shadows” in 2016, of which he was the subject, billed as her “longtime friend.” Interest in the couple spiked in 2019 on the heels of “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum” amid the so-called Summer of Keanu , when they stepped out together for the L.A. County Museum of Arts’ 2019 Art + Film Gala.

Keanu Reeves, ‘John Wick 4’ cast wear ribbons, add onscreen dedication to Lance Reddick at L.A. premiere

Keanu Reeves remembers his co-star Lance Reddick on the red carpet at the ‘John Wick 4’ premiere in Los Angeles: ‘Lance was a beautiful person.’

March 21, 2023

The “Toy Story 4” star at the time had been regarded as a beloved “internet boyfriend,” telling People at the time that it’s “wacky,” but that “the positivity is great.”

The admiration continued this week after it was revealed that Reeves carried out yet another thoughtful gesture.

A report from the New York Times about the notable action scenes in “John Wick Chapter 4” included a detail about Reeves gifting T-shirts to the film’s stunt crew that displayed the number of deaths each of them faced in the movie. The action sequel, which had its franchise-best opening last weekend, re-used stunt workers in multiple scenes and some crew members’ death tolls were more than 20. In October 2021, Reeves also gave his four-man stunt team personalized Rolex Submariner watches as a wrap gift to mark the end of production. Each watch was said to be engraved with a thank you note for their work.

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ and the inexorable rise of the aging action star

With its $73.5-million opening, ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ is just the latest in a string of action movies with aging stars to score at the box office.

March 27, 2023

Despite what appeared to be a natural conclusion for the action sequel, Reeves and director Chad Stahelski might not be done with the infamous hitman’s story.

Reeves recently told Entertainment Weekly that he’s taking a “never say never” approach to extending beyond the four-film franchise, and Stahelski echoed those sentiments.

“[T]hese things are so fun, and challenging, and painful, and special,” the director told EW. “You know, if you ask any director in Hollywood if he could direct his own IP, come up with his own ideas, and have some of the best cast members in Hollywood, have some of the best crew want to work with you because they know you’re going to do something special, I mean, yeah, who wouldn’t trip over themselves to do that? If you think it wouldn’t be a good idea to work with Keanu for the rest of your career, you’re crazy; that’s nuts, like, of course.”

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Screen Rant

Keanu reeves lands his childhood dream marvel role in new mcu art.

Keanu Reeves has been linked to many Marvel roles, but there is one hero that would be his dream to play, and the star looks pitch-perfect in MCU art.

• Keanu Reeves has had talks with Marvel Studios.
• Reeves' personal connection to Ghost Rider could make him perfect for the role.
• Reeves could fulfill his childhood dream by playing the original Ghost Rider and mentoring others.

Keanu Reeves joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe in his most wanted superhero role thanks to exciting MCU art. Reeves is one of the most requested actors to be part of Marvel's slate of movies , with fans suggesting varied roles for the experienced actor. The actor previously revealed that he has had talks with Marvel , which Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed, so it seems like only a matter of time before he gets to join the MCU.

On Reddit, user spleenfreak69 shared a series of portraits showing what Keanu Reeves could look like as the MCU's Ghost Rider .

The art varies from shots of Reeves with his John Wick look riding a fiery motorbike, to the actor fully becoming Ghost Rider — burning skull and all. While the character still has to find a project for his MCU debut, Reeves would be perfect for the role as he shares a deep personal connection to the character, which could make for some of the MCU's best movies if he is cast as Ghost Rider.

Ghost Rider: 10 Things About The Movies That Have Aged Poorly

Why keanu reeves would be perfect as the mcu’s ghost rider, the actor has dreamt about playing the role.

Reeves would excel as the MCU's Ghost Rider for a variety of reasons, but the most important one is the actor's history with the character. During a 2022 interview, Reeves talked about why he would want to play the MCU's Ghost Rider , saying, " 10-year-old me would want to — I think he'd probably want to be Ghost Rider ." As a long-time comic book fan, playing Ghost Rider would fulfill a childhood dream for the actor .

Reeves' career took a turn after he starred in the first John Wick . The actor is now once again one of the most popular stars in Hollywood, which has led to many fancasts of Reeves as different MCU characters. From the names thrown around, Ghost Rider and Wolverine — who the actor also revealed he would love to play — have emerged as the most popular possible MCU roles for him.

10 Actors We'd Love To See Play Deadpool & Wolverine Variants In Deadpool 3

Reeves could make good on his childhood dream as the Johnny Blaze version of Ghost Rider , who was played by Nicolas Cage in two pre-MCU movies, under Marvel Studios. Reeves' John Wick and Matrix roles show that the actor would be perfect for superhero action scenes, with the star having a solid past of playing grizzled heroes. The MCU could have multiple Ghost Riders, with Keanu Reeves being the original, serving as a mentor to them all.

Keanu Reeves' MCU Debut Feels Inevitable

Marvel just need the right role....

Reeves' childhood passion for Ghost Rider isn't the full story of why his name is repeated linked to the MCU. Reeves himself sparked speculation while promoting John Wick: Chapter 4 after being asked about roles he might regret turning down. His answer kicked off the other most popular Marvel fan casting of Keanu Reeves:

"…No…but I did always want to play Wolverine."

And he's not alone in (unwittingly or not) bringing his name into the MCU casting conversation. Kevin Feige told ComicBook that he has long been committed to bringing Reeves into an MCU project:

“ We talk to him for almost every film we make. We talk to Keanu Reeves about. I don’t know when, if, or ever he’ll join the MCU, but we very much want to figure out the right way to do it .

The Marvel supremo didn't mention which roles Reeves may have been up for in past MCU releases, but the conversations parallel Jake Gyllenhaal's situation: he too was discussed multiple times before the perfect role (Mysterio) came up. That said, Reeves has previously been linked with the role of Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel (which went to Jude Law), Doctor Strange, and - mostly by fans so far - Ghost Rider.

There is a complicating factor here, of course, which is Keanu Reeves' willingness to potentially sign on to a multi-picture contract. While a villain role would presumably allow him to complete one movie and leave, any prominent superhero would typically mean multiple appearances. Back in 2014, unfortunately, Reeves responded to Doctor Strange speculation in an interview with Collider to express his discomfort with exactly the kind of long-term contracts that the MCU was built on:

"From a practical standpoint the idea of a longtime contract is sort of “errr” because you want to make sure the material is up to a certain level. Like the good or great level. I like the idea. I go to those kinds of movies. I grew up on them and comics and graphic novels. [But] I didn’t know Doctor Strange as a character, I didn’t read that as a kid. I’m gonna have to read it. I remember reading something… who’s going to play Doctor Strange ? Would I be good for the role?"

That might well explain why such a popular casting choice has so far led to nothing. Unless Reeves is introduced as a multiversal variant in something like Avengers: Secret Wars , or an elevated cameo for someone like Ghost Rider was similarly possible, such a tying contract feels like an obstacle.

Ghost Rider

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Mark Steven Johnson's Ghost Rider precedes the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe by one year. Starring Nicolas Cage as the titular Marvel anti-hero, the 2007 movie takes Johnny Blaze's origin story to the big screen with a supporting cast composed of the likes of Eva Mendes as Ghost Rider's love interest Roxanne Simpson, Peter Fonda as the demon Mephistopheles, Wes Bentley as the villain Blackheart, and Sam Elliot as the previous wielder of the Spirit of Vengeance.

Source: spleenfreak69 /Reddit

Key Release Dates

Deadpool & wolverine, captain america: brave new world, marvel's thunderbolts, marvel's fantastic four, blade (2025), avengers: the kang dynasty, avengers: secret wars.