Keanu Charles Reeves (pronounced /keˈɑːnuː/ [kay-AH-noo, often mispronounced as kee-AH-noo]; born September 2, 1964) is a Lebanese-born Canadian-American-British actor best known for his portrayals of Ted Logan in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, Officer Jack Traven in Speed, and Neo in the action film trilogy The Matrix. Other notable roles include starring as Siddhartha Gautama in Little Buddha; as Scott Favor in the drama My Own Private Idaho opposite River Phoenix; as the title character in the sci-fi film Johnny Mnemonic opposite Dolph Lundgren; as Kevin Lomax in the supernatural thriller The Devil’s Advocate opposite Al Pacino; the chevalier Danceny in Dangerous Liaisons; and starring roles in Chain Reaction, Constantine and the surf drama Point Break opposite Patrick Swayze. He played bass guitar in the grunge band Dogstar during the 1990s, and more recently in the band Becky. In an ET online survey in 2006, he was included in the “Top Ten of America’s Favorite Stars”. On January 31, 2005, Reeves received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Trivia:
Chosen by “People” magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. [1995]
Ranked #23 in Empire (UK) magazine’s “The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time” list. [October 1997]
Arrested in Los Angeles; charged with drunk driving. [May 1993]
Loves ballroom dancing.
He owns at least two Norton Commando motorcycles whose engines were available in both 750cc and 850cc capacities, the high-compression version being the Combat Commando.
Sister, Kim (born in Australia in 1966). Through his mother he has a half-sister named Karina Miller (born 1976 in Toronto). Through his father he has a half-sister named Emma Reeves (born 1980 in Hawaii).
Named after his uncle Henry Keanu Reeves. “Keanu” is a derivation of Reeves’ great-great-uncle Keaweaheulu, whose name means “the soft breeze raising” in Hawaiian.
Stepson of film and stage director Paul Aaron.
Had job sharpening ice skates.
Was nicknamed “the wall” by high school hockey team De La Salle College “Oaklands”.
Father left the family when Keanu was very young.
Was manager of a pasta shop in Toronto.
His father was a geologist who served time in prison. He was paroled after serving two years of a ten-year sentence for selling heroin at Hilo Airport in 1992.
His mother, Patricia Taylor, was a costume designer for rock stars such as Alice Cooper.
His name means “cool breeze over the mountains” in Hawaiian.
Dropped out of high school when he was 17 to become an actor.
Hobbies include horseback riding and surfing (both inspired from movie roles).
Was MVP on his high school hockey team, where he was a goalie.
Keanu got his abdominal scar from a motorcycle wreck in Topanga Canyon. He was on a “demon ride” (no headlights at night) when he crashed into the side of a mountain. He was hospitalized for a week with broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. When the paramedics came to get him, an emergency medical technician trainee picked up one end of the stretcher … then dropped it by mistake! “It made me laugh, but I couldn’t breathe!”
When trying out for the parts of Bill and Ted in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), each actor was paired up with another. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter were paired up, Reeves trying out for the part of Bill while Winter tried out for the part of Ted. They were cast opposite what they auditioned for.
His first name, Keanu, is pronounced “keh-ah-noo.”.
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#17). [1995]
In November 1999, the baby girl he was expecting with girlfriend Jennifer Syme was stillborn, just a few weeks shy of the actual delivery date. They had planned to name her Ava Archer Syme-Reeves.
His estranged girlfriend Jennifer Syme was killed when her Jeep Cherokee careered onto the wrong side of a Los Angeles road near Highway 101 and smashed into three parked cars. The force of the crash flipped the car over and she was thrown through the windshield. She was killed instantly. [2 April 2001]
Maintains Canadian citizenship and passport.
Has appeared in three films whose title contains a US state: Feeling Minnesota (1996), My Own Private Idaho (1991) and The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988) and his character in Point Break (1991) was named John Utah.
Was set to reprise his role as Jack Traven in the sequel to Speed (1994/I)–Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)–but dropped out.
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).
Resides in the Hollywood Hills area, Los Angeles, California, and is said to maintain an apartment in Manhattan as well.
Learned over 200 martial arts moves for The Matrix Reloaded (2003).
Played (bass) in “Becky” which also featured Robert Mailhouse (drums), Paulie Kosta (guitar) and Rebecca Lord (vocals).
Was originally offered the role of Pvt. Chris Taylor in Platoon (1986). Keanu turned it down and the role went to Charlie Sheen.
Was originally cast as Chris Shiherlis in Heat (1995) but later backed out of the project, and the part went to Val Kilmer.
He went to high school at North Toronto, where his drama teacher was Paul Robert.
Shares a birthday with actress Salma Hayek, heavyweight boxer Lennox Lewis and NFL Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson.
Frequently plays man either strapped or sitting in a chair while some type of procedure is performed on him. All three Matrix films, Johnny Mnemonic (1995), Feeling Minnesota (1996), Dracula (1992), Constantine (2005), A Scanner Darkly (2006), The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008).
Although left-handed, plays bass with his right.
31st January 2005: Honoured with a Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
Read the script of Constantine (2005) while filming The Matrix Revolutions (2003).
His first theater work was with Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Massachusetts in “The Tempest.”
He learned to surf for his role in Point Break (1991)
Is 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.
His best friend is his sister.
He has recently left the band “Becky” with former “Dogstar” band mate Robert Mailhouse, due to scheduling conflicts.
Auditioned for the Etobicoke School of the Arts in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; but was rejected.
Replaced Val Kilmer as “Johnny Mnemonic” in Johnny Mnemonic (1995) when Kilmer left the project upon being offered the role of “Batman” in Batman Forever (1995). Ironically, Kilmer later replaced Reeves as “Chris Siherlis” in Heat (1995).
His best friend was actor River Phoenix. He is also friends with River’s brother Joaquin Phoenix.
His parents married in Hawaii and divorced in 1966. His mother later remarried Paul Aaron (divorced in 1971) and Robert Miller (between 1976 and 1980).
The character of Jimbo Jones on “The Simpsons” (1989) is based on his character from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989).
Lent one of his basses (a yellow Fender) to be used in the music video 100% by Sonic Youth to bassist Kim Gordon.
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#28). [2007].
Has played a former quarterback from The Ohio State University in two movies Point Break and The Replacements.
Turned down the role of Racer X in Speed Racer (2008). The part eventually went to Matthew Fox.
Joel Schumacher considered him for the role of The Scarecrow, Jonathan Crane, in the fifth Batman movie had Schumacher gone on to direct Batman 5. The failure of Batman & Robin (1997) prevented that from happening.
An avid fan of Formula 1 and IndyCar racing.
Was a good friend to the late Anthony Quinn. They starred together in A Walk in the Clouds (1995).
