- Keanu! - Keanu, Keanu!
Either that or he's a
real good double gigger.
Isn't that Keanu Reeves?
Well, it looks like him.
Well...
Very early on in his career,
Keanu Reeves told reporters
that his name Keanu meant...
Cool breeze over the mountains.
It is a kind of perfect
summation of who he is as a star,
not just on screen,
but in terms of what we
know about him as a person.
You are breathtaking!
You are all breathtaking!
I have been a part of
some films that
have been embraced,
and I'm very grateful.
As an actor,
you're essentially
living behind a mask.
Right.
Comedy and tragedy.
He took some solace
in science fiction,
reading, and in comic books,
which is really
interesting when you think
about the trajectory
of his career
and the kinds of films
he ended up making.
He was a private child
who struggled a lot
due to dyslexia,
which is something
that he has been quite
forthcoming about,
and how that struggle
impacted him.
Didn't really have
any interest in acting
until the influence
of his stepfather
really gave him
that kind of bug.
Keanu has a really
interesting background,
in that he was born
in Beirut, in Lebanon
when his parents
were living there.
His mother was English,
his father was a
mix of ethnicities,
including Hawaiian, hence
his Hawaiian name, Keanu.
His mother was working in Beirut
where she met his father,
but they did split up
when Keanu was three.
So he didn't really have a
relationship with his dad,
he didn't even really
meet him properly
until he was about 13.
Art had become a
pivotal aspect for Keanu
and his sister, Kim,
who were entranced by
fiction and film alike.
Growing up in the 70s,
there was no lack
of incredible films
for the siblings to watch.
Later on he said that
when he was growing up,
he could only imagine that
he would go to Hollywood.
His goal was always
to go to Hollywood
because the films
he watched as a kid
were made in Hollywood,
and he understood that he
wanted to be part of that world.
So Keanu's stepdad
was Paul Aaron,
who was a Hollywood director
and Broadway producer.
Paul Aaron was very supportive
of Keanu's interest in acting
and eventually would
recommend him for a job
at the Hedgerow
Theatre in Pennsylvania
where he would spend some
time working as an apprentice
and assisting and kind of
living there and helping out.
Keanu grew into the
definition of a hotshot,
high-octane teen.
His stage performances
during his years of education
placed him in a
handful of short films.
It wasn't long before
he found himself
starring in commercials
and eventually in "Hangin'
In", a Canadian sitcom.
Hey, where do you
keep the towels?
Pete said we could
use the shower.
Oh, Peter put you in here.
Yeah, you rescued us.
Ah!
Where did he find you?
Reeves worked for the
Canadian Broadcasting company
when he was a teenager,
for the youth news
program "Going Great."
He starred in a few
different American shows
when he first
moved to Hollywood,
including "Babes in Toyland"
and "Brotherhood of Justice"
before he was able to get
his first big film role.
Hockey has always been
a massive part of Keanu's life.
After his move to Toronto,
Keanu took up the sport,
which served him in
more ways than one.
It was a huge asset
when Keanu landed a role
in his first feature film.
The movement of his body
complemented his more outlandish
and extreme roles.
He showed promise whilst
playing as Heaver, a goalkeeper,
in the lighthearted sports
feature "Youngblood."
Even if the film was
a little formulaic,
it gave Keanu an opportunity
to experience a larger film set.
I'm playing a 17-year-old body
with a 40-year-old mind, okay?
But then I had to play
with my conception of 40,
which was sort of older, right?
You look at a 40-year-old
and go, "You're old",
- but he's not.
- It sounds like
a juicy, challenging role,
and it's good that
you got this one.
- Yes. - And we look forward
to seeing you in another things,
and thank you very much.
- Oh, thank you.
- You're welcome.
- Bye!
So I think that definitely
having Paul Aaron
as kind of a figure in his life,
that even after he divorced,
Keanu's mother was still
there to support him
and help him get a green card
to start his journey
in Los Angeles,
must have played a kind
of significant role to him
in influencing and
shaping that desire.
He was also advised
to change his name
because Keanu
sounded too ethnic,
which he briefly considered,
but ultimately decided
wasn't quite right.
And I think it's
a great decision
because now his name has
become almost anonymous.
You say Keanu, everyone knows
who you're talking about.
He's in a kind of stoner drama
called "River's Edge", about
teenagers involved in a m*rder.
It's this really
underrated cult movie.
River's Edge" was
a curious project
because in the time of 80s
lighthearted teen fiction,
it stood out as one of the
grungier, darker pieces.
It offered Keanu a chance to
approach a more serious role.
Whilst the actor was
still up and coming,
it served as an
opportunity to carry a role
with heavy thematic undertones.
The film shows the kind of
malaise of this community
and how the teenagers
have to come to terms
with this incredibly
harrowing situation.
And Keanu was
praised quite roundly
for his performance as
Matt, who is one of the,
I'd say, darker
characters within it.
He kind of struggles a
lot with the situation.
Come on!
You finked on John!
I'm your brother.
Where do my children
go at night?
His performance was
regarded as a real breakout
by people like "The
New York Times."
Everyone was kind of amazed
that this presence had
kind of come outta nowhere.
I think he was really able
quite early on to
establish himself
as quite a distinctive
figure in acting
who was someone definitely
worth keeping an eye on.
"Permanent Record",
a more underrated
feature had Keanu play
as Chris Townsend. - Or anybody.
I don't know if I
did the right thing.
After the passing of
his closest friend,
Keanu's upbeat character
changes drastically.
The film depicts grief
in a very unique way,
having sharing the experience
between a range of characters
of which Keanu
seemingly has to manage.
He also in the late 80s
has a co-starring role
in "Dangerous Liaisons",
a costume drama,
in which one might say he's
just a little bit miscast.
So he makes his really
big breakthrough in
"Bill & Ted's
Excellent Adventure",
a really distinctive film,
and one that seems
perfectly suited to him.
It's really what made him a star
more than any other film
he'd done to that point.
But "Bill & Ted's
Excellent Adventure" is a film
about two high school students
who have to create
a history paper,
and somehow they managed
to travel through time
to meet some of the characters
they need to write
about in their paper.
It's just a wonderful
wide-eyed adventure story.
Let's go back into history.
I think that this was due
to it being this really big,
silly, fun movie,
which took something
that people already kind
of were seeing a lot of
in this time travel
adventure movie genre
that developed with something
like "Back to the Future."
It combined it with this kind
of new era, shall we say,
of kind of stoner comedies,
which were very silly
and just presented themselves as
not taking film too seriously.
What makes it really
memorable and remarkable is
that it's a film about
teenage male friendship
that is utterly without
aggression or malice.
They're just good friends.
They get along really
well, they help each other.
- Excellent! - Excellent!
And they do have an
excellent adventure.
So it's a really sweet film,
maybe even slightly
educational film,
given that you get to meet
Socrates and Abraham Lincoln,
a film that established him
in his wide-eyed capacity.
His big phrase in the film is...
- Wow! - Ah!
There's a sense in
which everything is new
and exciting and appealing
to this rather sweet,
not entirely bright teenage boy.
The film was really well
received by critics,
and made a surprising return
on the box office investment,
and has become known now
as one of the kind of
best sci-fi movies around
because it just takes the genre,
which sometimes I think
can feel quite serious,
and plays with it
and has fun with it.
It's really known as
a defining presence
within Keanu's filmography.
There's an element of nostalgia
to "Bill & Ted's
Excellent Adventure."
Like you can't, I imagine if
you watched as a teenager,
you simply identify
with Bill and Ted;
but if you watch it as an adult,
you kind of look
back to teenage years
and the kinds of adventures
and the kinds of friendships
that you had at that
time in your life.
So I think it's a perfect
film for nostalgia,
it's a perfect series to stay
in the hearts of audiences
because of that nostalgia factor
and that idea that one would
always like to look back on
those sorts of friendships
and that period in your life
for the kind of excitement
that it has in the film.
- Keanu! - Keanu!
- Keanu, Keanu! - Keanu!
The phenomenon that
was Bill and Ted
made Keanu Reeves
a household name.
Keanu makes an effort
to form relationships
with his co-starring actors
and set professionals.
His friendship with River
Phoenix stood out in
"I Love You to Death."
What do you say?
The black comedy
propelled both Keanu
and River to the next stages
of their blossoming careers.
Oops!
I have a feeling we're
about to embark upon
a most unprecedented expedition.
Bill and Ted returned
once again for the sequel.
There's a lot of deliberation
as to which film people prefer.
The battle with death
remains an iconic scene
in anyone's eyes.
To many it was a clever spin on
Ingmar Bergman's
"The Seventh Seal",
with less chess and more
Bill and Ted antics.
Bill and Ted are dead.
Keanu having developed a passion
for composing music
decided to start a band.
Dogstar.
Dogstar consisted of
drummer, Robert Mailhouse,
who Keanu met at
Gelson's supermarket.
Bret Domrose was on guitar,
and Keanu Reeves on
bass and shared vocals.
So that was kind of dumb, bro,
just happy to be here.
Please.
Keanu, rock stars becoming
movie stars all the time.
How does it feel
to be a movie star
who is becoming a rock star
who has a passion for music?
Well, I have a
passion for music.
I don't think myself
or the band "Dogstar"
have quite reached the
heights of rock stardom,
but it's been really
fun playing in the band
over the past six years,
and hopefully we can continue
to make records and play,
and play live and stuff.
Does Dogstar afford
you peace and security?
Does rock afford me
peace and security?
Absolutely not.
No, but it's really fun, man.
It's really fun to write,
and the fraternity
with my band members,
and like traveling when we can,
and doing rock shows
is a lot of fun.
Keanu and River Phoenix
returned in a feature
the following year, breaking
out of the teen fiction rut,
and taking on a
serious narrative.
I always know where I am
by the way the road looks.
Like I just know that
I've been here before.
The cattle are prowlin'
I just know that
I've been stuck here.
The coyotes are howlin'
So "My Own Private
Idaho" was Gus Van Sant's
take on Shakespeare's Henry ad,
which is a series
of historical plays.
Isn't that right, Mike?
What do you care about money?
You got plenty of money.
Actually, Mike is right,
I am going to inherit
money, a lot of money.
It took quite loose inspiration
following these two
young street hustlers
played by River Phoenix
and Keanu Reeves,
who go on this journey
across the United States
and to Italy in search
of Mike's mother.
It's not only considered one
of Gus Van Sant's best films,
but it's become a very
pivotal q*eer film.
So "My Own Private
Idaho" was as far from
"Bill & Ted's Excellent
Adventure" as you could get.
And it's definitely one of
the most heartbreaking films
of the kind of 90s,
and definitely for Keanu I think
establishes him as this sort
of unknowable screen presence.
Obscure, enigmatic film.
Quite difficult to know
what's going on all the time
that it has its surreal moments.
And I think it was Keanu
Reeves' signal to the audience
that he was not going
to be pigeonholed,
and he wasn't gonna be
caught in that kind of role.
It was an arthouse film,
and it was an arthouse hit.
"My Own Private Idaho"
is a unique introspective film.
Keanu and River's
performances were exceptional.
The two men shared a rare
bond during its production,
a bond which bled into
their performances
and solidified the feature
as a cultural milestone.
Thanks to its themes
and raw messaging.
Audiences wondered when Keanu
might return to the screen
with River Phoenix.
Their chemistry had left a
lasting impact on viewers.
The two young actors
seemingly had no limits,
they shared great potential.
The world, however,
had other plans.
"My Own Private Idaho" served as
one of River
Phoenix's last films
before he passed
at the age of 23.
Keanu, like many, was devastated
at the loss of this
incredibly talented
and beloved presence.
As the young actor's
career flourished,
criticism of his acting
became prominent.
There've been some pretty harsh
criticisms directed at him,
particularly regarding
his role in Dracula.
With Francis Ford Coppola,
a costume drama set in
19th century England,
and he seems wholly
out of place.
Of course, sir, I'll
attend to the count.
Thank you for your confidence.
I think people who criticize
Keanu Reeves as an actor
have a rather snobbish
idea of acting
that's linked to
the stage tradition,
and that's linked to dialogue,
and to an actor reciting
dialogue on stage.
That is not what
Keanu Reeves does.
I mean, I'll be the
first to admit that,
that's not his forte.
For me it's just a very
distinctive style
of performance,
it's a very reserved style
where he withholds a lot,
and he's very subtle in his
movements and his delivery.
He has a kind of intensity
as a screen presence
that I don't think many critics
or award giving bodies
have been willing to note.
He hasn't been treated
particularly generously.
To search for his
artistic voice,
Keanu delved into any
type of film imaginable,
returning to the comedy genre
with "Much Ado About Nothing",
"Even Cowgirls Get the
Blues", and "Freaked",
an experimental picture
co-directed by his good friend,
Alex Winter, in which
Alex also starred.
Did the language
ever intimidate?
You mean English?
No.
Most of the play is in verse,
I'm sorry, in prose.
So it's a welcome challenge.
The strange casting
decisions continued.
"Little Buddha" stood out as
a rogue edition for Keanu,
who plays as the reincarnation
of Siddhartha Gautama.
I play Prince Siddhartha,
an emotional fable myth
aspect interpretation.
Buddhism is very specific
with the psychological,
emotional declension, I guess.
So I guess studying that comes
in emancipation from emotions
and realizing more of what
phenomenal existence is,
and through that practice
comes perhaps compassionism.
In the 1980s and into the 1990s,
action stars tended to be
figures like Sylvester Stallone
and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
That is really
powerful, really macho,
seemingly none too bright men
of power and action.
Keanu Reeves helped to bring in
this new age of action stars
where you didn't have
to be the biggest,
the most ripped person on the
planet to be a credible lead.
Keanu Reeves really
signals a change
with "Speed" particularly,
in terms of turning him
into a kind of action hero,
but I think it's also a point
at which he redefines
the action hero.
When I find you...
Pop quiz, hotshot,
there's a b*mb on a bus.
Once the bus goes 50 miles
an hour, b*mb is armed.
If it drops below 50,
it blows up.
Sandra Bullock is behind
the wheel of the bus,
Keanu Reeves is trying
to save the bus.
It's this crazy action thriller,
as fast-paced and
exciting as they come,
in which he plays a kind
of heroic action man.
I can't think of
anything more different
from Bram Stoker's "Dracula"
or "My Own Private Idaho."
It's really a different
kind of role for him,
and he absolutely owns it.
He becomes this man of
steel, this man of action,
and it really
redefines his career.
Yeah, the title "Speed"
and then the situations
that the character got into.
I mean, it was an opportunity
to play I thought a good man
and to have fun.
I was looking for
work, it came around,
and I got the opportunity
to play in it,
and I'm so lucky to be
able to participate in
such a fantasy and to
hopefully entertain.
Right.
I think it's just nobody
expected anything,
and they got a lot more
than they didn't expected.
It is true.
It's just hype,
I don't play into it.
You have a good time, you
hope something does well,
and, well, it does,
And I hope it does well
for Keanu and Jan and-
- Right. - Dennis and...
He turns it into something
that's more intelligent
with a bit of emotional depth.
So he redefines the action hero
and makes him just a
little bit more vulnerable,
even though he has that
sort of power and energy
that all action heroes have.
Keanu!
The nature of acting
in an action picture
is very much in a sense of play.
I really think it's play.
- Did you actually put
yourself at any risk or-
Even the dramatics part of
it, it's really in of itself.
It's a good part of it.
Keanu proved himself
as a formidable action
star in "Speed",
he followed suit with
"Johnny Mnemonic" in 1995.
To many this sci-fi
thriller was thought as
the foundation for the next
steps in Keanu's journey.
The inclusion of
cyberpunk elements
drove people to believe
that this was a world
in which the actor
seemed comfortable in,
though awards would
have one believe
that Keanu remained
a blank slate.
Keanu's name has sprung
up a fair few times
in the Raspberry Awards.
Many continued to undermine
his acting abilities,
whilst others saw him as merely
having his own
unique methodology,
which greatly separated him
from the traditional
acting world.
In the same year,
"A Walk in the Clouds" stood
out as a unique project,
being an unconventional
period romance.
Despite family traditions,
love blossoms between
Reeves' character, Paul,
and Victoria, played by
Aitana Sanchez-Gijon.
The film provides a
unique perspective
on a Mexican family
during the 1940s
and social standings.
The film gained Keanu
another Raspberry nomination,
whilst many audience members
thoroughly enjoyed
his performance.
Keanu's performances
were divisive,
and slowly people were
beginning to accept that.
Keanu came into contact
with Jennifer Syme.
Jennifer was a talented
actor and filmmaker
who'd worked
alongside David Lynch
before directing
her own projects.
The two became a couple,
undoubtedly their
passion for the arts
was a talking point
of their relationship.
Before long, Jennifer
became pregnant in 1999,
the very year Keanu's life
would change indefinitely.
Cameraman!
Cameraman Julian,
just get in there
and get your shot
of Keanu Reeves.
We're being promised
we're next in the line,
but these things...
I think the first film
that comes to mind
with Keanu Reeves
is "The Matrix."
There are other roles
that come to mind,
but "The Matrix" is
such a distinctive role.
It's such a distinctive
film, it's so iconic.
I was 11 when I first saw it,
and I remember thinking
that Keanu Reeves
was probably the coolest
person I'd ever seen.
The film itself has such
an incredible legacy,
and has really changed the way
we think about sci-fi movies,
and has become kind of part
of the public lexicon now.
So that's the one for me
that I think will
always stand out.
Keanu, Sky News, we're live.
Can I just ask you one more
quick question, please?
What do you make
of the reception,
not just here in London, but
just "The Matrix" worldwide?
It's pretty extraordinary,
and it's great to be a part of.
It doesn't happen
all that often.
Just for me I just,
I love the films,
I had a great
experience making them,
and so hopefully
people will enjoy them.
And the experience of making
the film was a great one.
And then the aspect
when it came around
to complete the trilogy,
just signed on board
without reading the scripts
'cause of just the
experience that I had
and the trust I have
in the directors.
And I had a great
experience making
"Reloaded" and "Revolutions."
And it's great that people
are coming out to the films,
and I hope that they enjoy them.
Famously Will Smith says that
one of his biggest regrets
is turning down "The Matrix",
which he turned down in
favor of "Wild Wild West"
because he had a lot of doubts
about whether or not The
Wachowskis would be able to
pull off the very
tricky special effects.
Nicholas Cage similarly
turned down the film
as well as Brad
Pitt and Val Kilmer.
So it was quite a
long list of names
before Keanu Reeves was the
one that the script came to.
And Warner Brothers really
fought quite hard for Keanu,
whereas The Wachowskis were more
interested in
having Johnny Depp.
Keanu ended up being
a perfect choice
because he was a little
bit of a blank slate
who didn't have a huge
profile at the time.
He really gave the
sense of naivety
and almost openness that I think
any other actor would've
probably struggled with,
but the reason the film works is
because we feel this
real connection to him,
and he could be kind of
anyone within the world.
He is a kind of audience
surrogate who gets embroiled
in this very weird world,
and kind of has to
just go along with it.
I did all right, I got
kicked a couple of times,
burst open my thumb.
And in one of the wire tricks,
I remember I got
caught in a tree,
but I never really got hurt.
All in a day's work.
So "The Matrix"
came out in 1999,
we have to think back then to
how early that is to have
a cyber thriller, right?
A thriller about the internet
when most people were
still just getting to grips
with what the internet was.
This is a whole drama
based around the internet.
It also involves a lot of
AI, artificial intelligence.
Again, at a time when
not a lot of people
would've even known
what that was.
I'm glad to be here.
I'm glad to speak
about something
that I love so much.
I'm a fan of these movies,
and I had a great
time making them.
They've been a huge
part of my life.
Mm-hmm.
And so to come out and travel
and speak about them is
part of the gift, I guess.
I'm fine with it.
You've done lots of really
interesting work, haven't you?
- Yeah, I've been trying.
- Yeah.
I really feel like "The
Matrix" is the event,
is the piece that we all actors
and craftspeople are a part of.
So hopefully if
anything's remembered,
it will be the films themselves,
and we're part of that.
So it is an
incredibly innovative,
and I think in a
way, prophetic film.
It just broke a
lot of new ground,
and opened up new cinematic
worlds for audiences.
"The Matrix" is an iconic film,
partly because of
its visual style
that it imagined the
cyber world cinematically
at a time when a few, if
any films had done that.
It's interesting
to look at it now
and realize just
how paranoid it is,
and how steeped in
conspiracy it is,
that everything, everything
we see and do is artificial,
and invented by larger
structures around us
that are all out to get us.
They are all out to
farm us, literally.
It's pretty special.
Keanu, you've been a
rocker in the past,
I mean how rock...
Not like these guys.
How rock and roll
do you now?
Are you still rocking it up?
No, I'm not.
I'm going a quieter path now,
more measured and quieter.
The fame which came to Keanu,
thanks to "The Matrix"
franchise, it was immense.
Beyond the glitz and glamour,
Keanu's partner, Jennifer,
gave birth to their
daughter, Ava.
Sadly, the baby was stillborn.
The birth affected Keanu and
Jennifer beyond comprehension.
The couple briefly parted ways
before reuniting
once more in 2001
after dealing with the
loss in their own way.
One's personal life can put
a great deal of strain
on their career.
Whilst fans of Keanu
could only speculate,
it was something that
many felt sympathy for.
To juggle publicity
and privacy is a w*r
Keanu seemed to avoid fighting.
His emotions were raw and could
be seen in his interactions
alongside his performances.
An aura of honesty
and humbleness began
to radiate from Keanu.
Something many celebrities
could not demonstrate
due to being enveloped by fame,
but Keanu was a completely
different entity.
"The Gift" directed by Sam Raimi
took Keanu back to
a darker character,
and is regarded as
one of the actor's
more unique performances.
His role as Donnie
Barksdale allowed Keanu
to explore his emotional range
within a whodunit narrative.
Brothers, I mean, your
momma being a witch and all.
If she don't stop her evil ways,
someday somebody's
gonna burn her up,
and then you boys are
gonna be without a daddy.
I played Detective
Tom Ludlow, the LAPD.
I am an officer
implicated in the death
of his ex-partner who's
trying to find the K*llers.
And along the way,
I kind of dig up more
than I bargained for.
It was a great role, and
working with David was great,
and I had a intense but
really good experience.
The role was a reach for me,
but it was one that I
really enjoyed reaching for,
and hopefully
people will like it.
On April the 1st, 2001,
Jennifer Syme attended a party
at the home of Marilyn Manson.
On her approach, she was
involved in a car collision,
which proved fatal.
The tragedy compounded with
the loss of their child
was a shock of sadness to Keanu
alongside being a great moment
of realization and reflection.
Life in Keanu's eyes
appeared to seem fragile.
In September 2009,
Keanu's philanthropic work
came into the spotlight.
He began to establish "The Keanu
Charles Reeves Foundation",
he desired to raise money in
support of cancer research,
a need only strengthened due
to his younger sister, Kim,
who had suffered from
leukemia for a decade.
It was brought to
the media's attention
that Keanu had also donated
over 70% of his earnings
from "The Matrix" to charity
alongside continuing to
donate huge sums of his purse
for causes he has deemed
as necessary to back.
People had just
realized one key thing,
Keanu Reeves was
one in a million.
In May 2010, an image cropped up
showing Keanu sitting
alone at a park bench.
He was eating a sandwich,
and the internet
went crazy about it.
- We're all familiar with sad.
- I'm just eating a sandwich.
Sad Keanu,
a sad Keanu in right there.
Man, I'm just eating
a sandwich. - This is a frame of
berserker from-
Yeah.
There you go.
Okay.
Keanu Reeves has become known
for this incredible generosity,
both of spirit and
kind of monetarily.
He is a big philanthropist
and is known for just helping
out anyone that needs it.
That is something
that is incredibly
genuine coming from Keanu.
He seems like someone
who just really wants
to leave the world a better
place than he found it.
One of the stories that
always gets repeated is,
how much he loves stunt teams
because he makes so
many action movies,
and he always buys
really incredible gifts
as a thank you to all
these people he works with.
He bought Ducati motorcycles
for everyone on "The Matrix",
and then Rolexes for
everyone on "John Wick"
because he just wants
to kind of share
his success with the world.
- Keanu! - Hey, Keanu!
There's a really lovely
clip from a few years ago
where he was stranded
at an airport
with a group of passengers
and was giving them a
sort of impromptu tour
with some facts he
found on Wikipedia.
It's population
is around 380,000.
Wow!
Making it the ninth most
populous city in California,
and the 52nd most populous
city in the nation.
We all say it, we all do it,
and I think it has meaning.
I think it's what we're
going through now.
I think it's the reason
that things are all sort of
a little bit uncomfortable.
He is known for being
a very genuine soul,
the opposite of a
diva within Hollywood.
I think it's maybe
too easy to say
that Keanu Reeves
makes action films
and sci-fi films alone.
It's true, those are the films
that have the most impact,
those are the most
popular films he makes,
but he also makes a pretty
wide variety of films.
He tries his hands in quite
a wide range of genres.
It doesn't always
work out that well,
at least in terms of the
box office of the films,
but he is always trying to do
something a little different.
So he makes the film "The
Lake House", for example,
with Sandra Bullock, which
is a very romantic film;
"Something's Gotta
Give" with Diane Keaton
and Jack Nicholson, a comedy.
He is an actor who is
always stretching his wings,
whether the audience
takes note or not.
He is a very private man,
so we don't know a lot
about him as a person.
He doesn't talk about
his private life
or his beliefs very readily.
One senses his personality
when he's on talk shows
promoting his films,
his laid-back nature
when he talks about what
he likes to do offscreen,
it's usually riding
his motorcycle,
long, long motorcycle trips.
He's not someone who's seen
on the red carpet a lot,
he's not one who's seen at
openings, at nightclubs,
he's not one of those
Hollywood A-list people
who is always in a tux and
attending the right thing.
One gets the sense
that he is this sort of
very laid-back,
centered, easygoing guy,
and fans pick up on that.
I learned how to
ride a motorcycle
when I was doing
a film in Munich.
This young woman had an Enduro,
and I asked her if she'd
teach me how to ride it.
And then when I came
back to Los Angeles,
this is probably
around '86, '87,
I got my first motorcycle.
When I don't ride a motorcycle,
I go through withdrawal.
It's not good for my health.
If you look around on
social media a bit,
you can see various
videos of him,
like when he is on the
subway in New York,
people notice him giving
up his seat to others,
or helping them
with their luggage,
or doing all sorts of
just really kind acts
of everyday behavior
that reinforce the idea
that this guy is not a
sl*ve to Hollywood glamor,
but is his own person.
In the 2000s, Keanu
really started
to kind of experiment more,
he was doing "The
Matrix" sequels,
but he was also taking on
roles like John Constantine
in the adaptation
of the comic books
about a man dying of cancer
who hunts down all kinds
of supernatural entities.
And that's become
one of the roles
that I think a lot of
people still even now,
nearly 20 years later
still want him to make
a sequel to that film.
He was also taking on
roles in films like
"Something's Gotta
Give" and "Thumbsucker",
which were a little bit
more comedic for him.
And then he did "A
Scanner Darkly",
which was Richard Linklater's
very experimental
rotoscope animation film.
So I think that
Keanu really started
to kind of take more risks
once he'd had the
success of "The Matrix",
and to start getting
involved with films
that were a little
bit different for him.
I mean, I'm trying to play
different kinds of roles,
different genres, and
not be typecasts, so.
I don't think you're gonna see
"The Private Lives
of Pippa Lee",
and expect to see Neo
or something like that.
Yeah, I mean, I enjoyed the
physical part of acting,
and this one certainly
has that going forward.
So yeah, it was an experience.
- Thank you very-
Keanu made his directing debut
with "Man of Tai Chi" in 2013.
He really played into kind
of his interest in action
and in martial
arts particularly.
But there's a sense in which
he hasn't quite found his
feet, or found his new role
until he makes the
first "John Wick" film.
The loss of a loved one
was depicted beautifully
by Keanu in 2014
upon the release of "John Wick."
Beyond being an impeccably
well-choreographed franchise
of action filmmaking,
"John Wick" connoted an
understanding of impermanence,
that suffering is merely an
unavoidable part of life.
You like that, huh?
It is at this point
where we bear witness
to this actor
showing discipline,
which goes far beyond
physical feats.
Keanu himself in "John Wick"
shared something
in common: Loss,
as do they share the
willingness to persevere.
How good's your laundry?
No one's that good.
I thought not.
That starts a whole
new franchise for him
and gives him a new identity
as a more mature actor.
He is not the young teenage
Kanye Reeves anymore,
he plays an action hero
who cannot be defeated
no matter what you throw at
him, he cannot be defeated.
"John Wick" has
become one of the most
successful action
franchises of all time,
and I think that it totally
wouldn't work without Keanu.
And I think that a
lot of that is down to
the partnership between Keanu
Reeves and Chad Stahelski.
And you must be very good
at kung fu now as well.
I'm okay at movie kung fu.
Okay.
- Yeah, movie action.
Your characters,
the storyline...
Your characters.
Of course, you set... Yeah.
Pieces into action.
But what's staying the same?
John Wick suffering...
John Wick.
Fighting for freedom.
Always.
Together they really
care about making sure
that the "John Wick" films
are not only incredibly
well crafted,
but incredibly entertaining.
Definitely the amount of effort
Keanu and Stahelski have
put into casting the films
and building the
world of the films,
the franchise is
incredibly beloved
by action fans around the world.
But wait, we do some car stuff.
- Cars, horses, fights.
- The cars are back.
- Not really horses.
- Little bit of horses.
- But we have cars.
- Lot of cars, motorcycle.
Lot of fighting,
jujitsu... Motorcycle, car.
- Judo, kung fu.
- Jujitsu, judo, kung fu.
But we got some
surprises in there.
- Yeah. - We got some surprises.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
They both require this
incredible amount of stunt work
from Keanu who has
really shown this ability
to throw himself into his work,
especially in the
latest "John Wick" film
where he falls down the
longest flight of stairs
in the world repeatedly
and quite heavily.
He is someone who
really wants to innovate
within his space
and try new things,
there is a constant quality.
So it's a curious
combination of the old style
vigilante film in which the
action hero is seeking justice,
but it's overlaid with
a level of heartache
and vulnerability
that gives the film
and the character some depth.
Well, I love the role,
and for me it was really cool
to have the response
of the first film
from the audience to
give us the opportunity
to tell another
chapter in John's life.
I remember the first
day that I was back in,
we were starting to film,
and the first time that
I put the suit back on,
it was literally the same
suit from chapter two,
and it still fit.
I was always inspired by
the early James Bond movies
about how they took you place
and they made you really
think about the world
and place you wanna
go and inspire you,
so we just wanted to
do the same thing.
It's a bit of a saga,
it's John Wick's story,
it's John Wick's saga.
So you get to see
John Wick go through
a lot of trials
and tribulations,
some great set pieces and
meet some interesting people.
Yeah, the world...
And then sh**t them.
The character.
I mean, you were
going a little big.
I went pretty big on this one.
- Yeah. - I wanted the world
of John Wick to feel big.
Is it true that there's
really gonna be a
"Bill & Ted 3"?
Is it really true?
Like that's my dream
come true, if so.
I can't wait to see
it, man, a huge fan.
We didn't expect to
wanna make another one,
including not just
Keanu and myself,
including the writers: Chris
Matheson and Ed Solomon.
And I think they just
kind of got inspired,
they had this idea they
brought to us awhile ago,
like a good 10 years ago,
that we just thought
was really hilarious
and had a lot of potential.
Third installment, is it is
on the cards, is it happening?
Maybe, yeah, they're
writing a script,
Chris and Ed, so. - Mm-hmm.
We'll see if it's any good.
Not giving much away
though, you just...
Well, that's all I know.
Okay? - Mm-hmm.
It's just like they've
got the burden,
and why hasn't things happened,
and they're still kind
of stuck in their life.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
I think it would be good.
I think we're better than
good, I think it would be.
It would be ridiculous, but fun.
- But fun. - If it's good.
It would be excellent.
You are not gonna say it,
are you?
Not today.
Not today.
Oh, I tried.
Some projects were deemed
more critically
successful than others,
yet Keanu maintained his passion
throughout every project
he was a part of.
Yeah, I was reliving it
at the same time living it.
I knew.
That gesture that
you're talking about,
kind of feeling the back
and seeing if the plug
is there and stuff.
There was certain moments
that were intentionalized,
like, okay, so that was
then, so let's do it now.
But now is different.
And I think Lana
Wachowski, the director,
was playing with that idea
of the past and the present.
It was challenging,
for sure, and exciting.
I love that physical aspect of
what it takes to play Trinity.
As challenging as it was,
just 'cause my body is so
different 20 years later,
and it was a challenge
that I loved it.
I loved being a part of
those really physical scenes,
and especially
doing them with him.
He is so masterful
at it, and it's so,
I learned a lot by watching him,
and how he meets the action
in such a believable language.
He has just this
incredible ability
with his body to tell story.
And I learned a lot
working with him this
time around watching him,
and trying to take some of it.
Well, you nailed it.
I also like just the
first time that we meet.
- Mm-hmm.
- And then all of our scenes.
Mm-hmm, it's really fun,
it was really fun. - Really.
Every day was really lovely
to be across from him
and partnering up in that
way, it was really a joy.
In "The Matrix." - Yeah.
Animation became a new stone
for Keanu to overturn.
His appearances in "Toy Story 4"
alongside "SpongeBob" and
"League of Super-Pets"
resulted in some fantastic
vocal deliveries,
and often material which would
later become a meme template.
The memes, of course, were
a way of honoring the actor,
not to belittle him.
Keanu, thanks to
his earthly persona,
had tapped into a new
generation of audience,
which has embraced
him for who he is.
To a lot of people, Keanu
appears as a source of comfort
and hope in this
turbulent world.
His calmness and enjoyment
of the simple things in life
is how many others wish
for themselves to live.
I think audiences
have always enjoyed
seeing Keanu Reeves offscreen
because when they see him,
he's not doing the
normal Hollywood things,
and he comes across as a
genuine laid-back person
who has a life quite separate
from his star power and
his incredible earnings.
He must be one of the best
paid actors in Hollywood,
but he seems like
someone who just likes
riding around on his motorcycle.
And when he is on talk shows,
he's very self-deprecating,
and doesn't have any
of the self-importance
that a lot of
Hollywood actors bring.
So I think people
see something genuine
and genuinely laid-back in
him that's very appealing.
And they've seen that
from the beginning,
from his earliest films
through to his latest films.
So one of the most intriguing
things I've heard him say
about his future is that
he'd like to play King Lear.
And I'm not sure
whether he meant
that on stage or on screen,
but I think it would be
a great part for him.
I think he looks like Lear now.
John Wick looks like Lear.
And I think it would
be a great way for him
to stretch his wings
further as an actor.
For over 30 years,
Reeves has really had
this incredibly varied career,
which is defined by these
really intense action roles
that he has managed
to make his own,
and he's really got
this kind of bravery
I think as a performer where
he's been knocked down by life,
by bad reviews, by bad
box office reception,
but he's always
kind of got back up.
His impact is really reshaping
what it means to
be a leading man,
and also what it means
to be a successful actor,
and to how you should take
bad reviews as an actor.
His parlance of
his online persona,
or certainly his
outside of film persona
with on-screen performances,
especially in John Wick,
has become incredibly unique
and something that
we're going to see
influencing the next
generation of actions stars.
Well, I don't think
he'll be remembered
primarily as an actor in
the sense that we remember,
say Laurence Olivier
or Marlon Brando
as an actor.
And I don't think he'll be
remembered as the kind of star
that Tom Cruise is,
or George Clooney is,
someone where we know a lot
about their private life,
and we feel their presence
in the film,
the presence of their
personality in the film.
I think he'll be remembered
in terms of the screen,
in terms of his acting,
as someone who really
changed the action genre
and brought a new kind
of figure into it,
a more thoughtful, a
more emotionally complex,
less macho action figure.
I think that'll be a
key part of his legacy.
And the other part will be
someone who managed to be a star
and a top earning
star for decades
without taking on any of
the trappings of glamor
or scandal or self-importance
that so many other
Hollywood stars have.
Keanu Reeves is far and away
one of the more
unconventional actors.
His ability to have his
spirit seep into the roles
he undertakes is remarkable.
He has experienced so
much in his lifetime.
Though he deservedly
remains a private person,
he has shown the
world his kindness,
his generosity and appreciation
for what others might
perceive as mundane.
There is no doubt that Keanu
is a beacon for many people
who have experienced similar
events in their own life.
It is the acceptance
of our flaws
and the willingness to continue,
which Keanu has
gifted to the people.
What do you think happens
when we die, Keanu Reeves?
I know that the ones who
love us will miss us.
- Ah! - Aw!
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Keanu Reeves: The One and Only (2024)
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