Keanu Reeves, once upon a time was Hollywood's most in-demand young star, later willingly left the spotlight to follow his personal interests.
Keanu's Excellent Adventure
Reeves started his career in the late 80s and went onto star in big-budget Hollywood films in the 90s and early 2000s.
Tragedy and misfortune would strike the actor throughout his early years, such as the loss of his best friend, his daughter, his girlfriend, and being the subject of lawsuits. However, through it all, he has always been "the one" and only Keanu.
Click "next" to learn about his crazy upbringing:
The Meaning Of "Keanu"
Keanu Charles Reeves was born on 2 September 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon to mother Patricia, a costume designer and performer, and father Samuel Nowlin Reeves, Jr. His mother is English and originally came from Essex, while his father is American from Hawaii of Chinese, English, Irish, Native Hawaiian, and Portuguese descent.
Patricia was working in Lebanon as a showgirl at a Beirut casino when she met Samuel who was visiting the city at the time. Reeves said of his paternal grandmother, "My grandmother is Chinese and Hawaiian so I was around Chinese art, furniture, and cuisine when I was growing up."
The name "Keanu" from its Hawaiian roots, means "cool breeze" or "cool breeze over the mountains". It is derived from the elements "ke" meaning one, the one; and "anu" meaning cool.
Daddy Was A Convicted Felon
Reeves credits his mother for imparting English manners on him as a child which we carried into adulthood. He has mentioned watching British comedy shows such as The Two Ronnies as a child. Reeves mother met his father while she was working in Beirut.
Although Reeves father earned a high school level diploma while imprisoned in Hawaii for selling heroin at a local airport, he soon abandoned his wife and family when Reeves was just three years old. Although Reeves knew him until the age of six, they last met on the island of Kauai when Reeves was 13.
Although Reeves is entitled to British citizenship through his English mother, he identifies himself as a Canadian, holding citizenship by naturalization and so holds an American green card.
Mommy Married Four Times
Following his parents' divorce in 1966, his mother married three more times. This resulted in Reeves constantly moving around the world. Reeves mother became a costume designer and moved her family first to Sydney, then to New York City. Here she married a Broadway and Hollywood director in 1970. Reeves worked on his first step-father's films as a production assistant aged 15.
The couple moved to Toronto before divorcing in 1971. His mother's third marriage was to a rock music promoter from 1976 to 1980. Her last marriage was to a hairdresser, ending in 1994. Throughout Reeve's childhood, he and his sisters were babysat by grandparents and nannies.
He primarily grew up in Yorkville, Toronto. As a teenager in the city, he worked as a manager at a pasta restaurant.
Encountering A Ghost
As a child, living in New Jersey, Reeves once experienced a terrifying encounter with a ghostly suit. In an interview with The Sun, Reeves recalled the incident, "I remember just staring at this suit which had no body or legs in it as it came into the room before disappearing.
"It was a double-breasted suit in white and I looked at my nanny, who was just as shocked as me. I just couldn't get back to sleep afterward."
They Called Him "The Wall"
In a period of five years, Reeves attended four different high schools, including one, the Etobicoke School of the Arts, from which he was expelled. Reeves says of his dismissal, "I was just a little too rambunctious and shot my mouth off once too often... I was not generally the most well-oiled machine in the school".
Reeves excelled at sports, more so than in academics as he suffered from dyslexia. At one time he considered playing ice hockey for Canada before an injury put it to a halt. He was nicknamed "The Wall" playing goalkeeper in one high school ice hockey team.
Although his last high school allowed him to obtain an education while working as an actor, Reeves later dropped out at aged 17 without obtaining a high school diploma.
"A Vagabond Life"
"I've had a vagabond life," Reeves told Parade magazine in 2000 reflecting on his childhood.
"There is a bit of the gypsy in me, and living that way seemed to make sense. I couldn't settle down. I liked going to new places – renting apartments, staying in hotels. Then I turned 40. That birthday is hard, perhaps because you know you're grown-up. So now it's a makeover for me. I have bought my first house. I wanted a home."
A Stepfather's Love
Reeves started his acting career aged nine when he appeared in a theatre production of Damn Yankees. At age 15 age played Mercutio in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet. Reeves was able to obtain a green card through his American stepfather and moved to Los Angeles when he was 20. He lived with his first stepfather, Paul Aaron, who happened to be a stage and television director.
The aspiring actor made his screen debut in an episode of Hangin' In. He continued appearing in television commercials and short films in the early 1980s such as the NFB drama One Step Away. In 1984, he worked as a correspondent on the Nicolodean program, Going Great.
Driving To Hollywood
The actor's first studio movie appearance was Youngblood in 1986, where he played a Canadian goalie. Following the film's release, Reeves decided to drive to Los Angeles in his 1969 Volvo.
Reeves step-father, Paul Aaron, had convinced one of his contacts, Erwin Stoff, in advance to be Reeves manager and agent. Remarkably, he has remained the actor's manager throughout his career and even co-produced many of his films.
Made For The Part
Reeves, first notable film role was in the 1986 drama River's Edge. The film depicted the effects of a murder on a group of teenagers. The film was a critical success.
On casting Keanu Reeves, casting director Carrie Frazier recalled, "He walked in the door, and I went, "Oh my god, this is my guy!" It was just because of the way he held his body—his shoes were untied, and what he was wearing looked like a young person growing into being a man. I was over the moon about him."
An "Excellent" Movie
Reeves spent the late 1980s in movies targetting a teenage audience. These included lead roles in the film Permanent Record, as well as the surprise 1989 comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and it's 1991 sequel Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. The film series is chiefly remembered for bringing Keanu Reeves to the attention of a mass audience.
In 1991, Reeves also had a breakout role in the critically acclaimed movie Parenthood, which was also a box office hit.
"Most Desirable Male"
In the 1990s Reeves began breaking out of his teen-film mold. He appeared in the high-budget action film Point Break alongside Patrick Swayze, for which he won MTV's 1992 "Most Desirable Male" award.
He was also involved in several low-budget independent films such as the 1991's well-received My Own Private Idaho which also starred River Phoenix. The film is loosely based on Shakespeare's Henry IV: Part 1, Henry IV: Part 2, and Henry V.
Losing His Best Friend
Reeves and Phoenix first met on the set of I Love You To Death from where they developed a close friendship. It was Reeves who convinced Phoenix to accept the lead role in My Own Private Idaho, a film which led to an Oscar nomination for the young actor.
"It's a beautiful film," Reeves told Rolling Stone in 2000. "And lonely. The way he ends up in the street. His shoes. A stranger picking him up." Phoenix died in 1993 due to a drug overdose outside a Hollywood nightclub aged just 23.
"I enjoyed his company. Very much," Reeves said of his friendship with Phoenix. "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."
Did He Accidentally Get Married For Real?
In 1992, Reeves played Jonathan Harker in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed blockbuster Bram Stoker's Dracula.
It was later revealed by Coppola that the wedding in the Greek Orthodox marriage ceremony between Reeves and Winona Ryder in the film was conducted in a genuine manner.
First Time Headlining A Film
In 1994, Reeves career would scale new heights due to his starring role in the action film Speed opposite Sandra Bullock. Reeves spent two months at Gold's Gym in Los Angeles to get in shape for the role and also shaved his head.
Reeves casting was considered somewhat controversial due to him being known mostly for roles in comedies and independent dramas, with the exception of Point Break. The actor had never been the sole headliner in a film before, particularly as Speed had a reasonably large budget. In the end, the movie over $350 million at the box office.
Music > Money
Reeves famously rejected appearing in Speed 2: Cruise Control despite being offered $11 million, his largest until then. Instead, he favored touring with his grunge band Dogstar which he co-founded in 1991 and acted in a theatre production of Hamlet.
In 1995 the band opened for Bon Jovi in Australia, and in 1999 the band even played at the famed Glastonbury music festival. Reeves also performed in the band Becky for a year in the early 2000s.
"He Is Hamlet"
Reeves played the title role in a 1995 Manitoba Theatre Centre production of Hamlet in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Theater critic, Roger Lewis writing for the Sunday Times, wrote of Reeves performance, "He quite embodied the innocence, the splendid fury, the animal grace of the leaps and bounds, the emotional violence, that form the Prince of Denmark ... He is one of the top three Hamlets I have seen, for a simple reason: he is Hamlet."
Reeves reportedly turned down the chance to star in Heat alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to act in the 789-seat theatre. The role eventually went to actor Val Kilmer.
Not Your Everyday Love Movie
Despite Reeves career appearing to be on the ascendancy, the actor made wide-ranging career choices in the mid to late 1990s. The actor continues to accept supporting roles and worked in experimental films.
In 1995's A Walk in the Clouds, Reeves plays the romantic lead of a soldier returning home after World War II to a woman he impulsively married before the war, before falling in love with another woman along the way.
Giving Up A Million Dollars
Reeves choices after A Walk in the Clouds failed with critics and audiences alike. Big-budget science-fiction film Johnny Mnemonic and action-thriller Chain Reaction both were critically panned and failed at the box office. Independent films such as Feeling Minnesota were also panned by critics.
Reeves revived his career by starring in the horror-drama The Devil's Advocate alongside Al Pacino and Charlize Theron. In order for Pacino to be cast, Reeves agreed to take a $1 million pay cut for the film. The film was deemed a critical and commercial success. During filming Reeves and Pacino were encouraged by the director to "feel the room" and develop some improvisation.
Fifth Choice For The Role Of A Lifetime
In 1999, The Matrix was released starring Reeves as the film's protagonist, Neo. Reeves was the fifth choice to play Neo. Will Smith turned down the role to make Wild Wild West due to skepticism about the film's ambitious effects, Nicolas Cage turned it down due to "family obligations", while the studio sought Brad Pitt and Val Kilmer for the role, both of whom declined.
The studio eventually pushed for Reeves who won the role over Johnny Depp, the directors' first choice.
The film has had a strong effect on action film-making and was the first to popularize the visual effect known as "bullet time". It grossed over $400 million worldwide and received universal critical acclaim. It is regarded as one of the greatest science fiction films of all time and led to two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions.
"Money Is The Last Thing I Think About"
The actor reportedly gave $80 million of his $114 million earnings from The Matrix sequels to the special effects and makeup staff. "Money is the last thing I think about. I could live on what I have already made for the next few centuries," Reeves is quoted as saying. The story has been denied by special effects staff as an urban legend.
However, it is believed Reeves relinquished a percentage of his share in the profits to allow producers an extensive special effects budget. The value of which is estimated to be $38 million. The actor is said to have given each member of The Matrix's 12-strong stuntman team a Harley Davidson motorbike as a gift.
Keep reading to see how he dealt with the loss of his baby, and girlfriend...
Losing His Daughter And Ex-Girlfriend 15 Months Apart
In December 1999, Reeves' girlfriend at the time, Jennifer Syme, gave birth eight months into her pregnancy to the couple's daughter, Ava Archer Syme-Reeves, who was stillborn. The loss put a strain on the couple's relationship which led to them breaking up weeks later. It is reported Syme went into depression following these events and had been treated with prescription drugs.
On April 2002, Syme was driving home after and sideswiped three parked cars before the car rolled over several times and threw her out. She died instantly. With Reeves scheduled to shoot back-to-back Matrix sequels, he was given some time to seek "peace and time" to deal with the news according to his Dogstar bandmate Bret Domrose.
"I Miss Being A Part Of Their Lives"
Speaking to Parade magazine in 2006, Reeves couldn't contain his anger. "Damn it! It's not fair! It's absurd," Reeves said.
"Grief changes shape, but it never ends. People have a misconception that you can deal with it and say, 'It's gone, and I'm better.' They're wrong. When the people you love are gone, you're alone. I miss being a part of their lives and them being a part of mine. I wonder what the present would be like if they were here — what we might have done together. I miss all the great things that will never be."
Taking A 90% Pay Cut For A Movie
In the early 2000s, Reeves also starred in The Gift as an abusive husband for which he received positive reviews. He also appeared in a string of negatively reviewed films which were box office failures such as The Watcher, Sweet November, and The Replacements. The last of which Reeves agreed to take a 90% pay cut for in order to guarantee the casting of Gene Hackman.
Reeves other films, Something's Gotta Give as well as the horror-action Constantine were both box-office successes and put the actor back into the spotlight.
Reuniting With Sandra Bullock
Reeves accomplishments were recognized in 2005 as he was given his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star is located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard. The next few years, Reeves starred in A Scanner Darkly. Reeves agreed to work for the Screen Actors Guild scale rate plus any back-end profits for the film. However, although the film was reviewed positively, it failed to recoup its production budget.
The same year he starred in The Lake House alongside Sandra Bullock whom he had previously starred alongside in Speed. The film was a commercial hit. Reeves went on to play the lead character in two films in 2008, the first being Street Kings, and the second The Day the Earth Stood Still which was based on the 1951 film of the same name. Both were successful commercially but reviewed poorly by critics.
Reeves next film, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, was in contrast positively reviewed.
Directorial Debut
In 2008, Reeves made his directorial debut in the film Man of Tai Chi. The multilingual narrative is partly inspired by Reeves' real life friend, stuntman Tiger Chen. Filming for the movie took place in mainland China and Hong Kong. Reeves was praised by critics for the film's old-fashioned martial arts picture in his directorial debut.
After showing at both the Cannes and Beijing film festivals, it was praised by Hong Kong director, John Woo known for his work in action genre films.
The film was five years in the making from scripting and production due to Revves acting in several B movies in this time such as Henry in 2010's Henry's Crime and John in 2012's Generation Um..... Reeve's production company which he co-founded, Company Films, helped produce Henry's Crime. During this period Reeves also starred as Kai in 47 Ronin which was critically panned.
Sued By A Paparazzo
In 2008, Reeves was sued by a paparazzo for $711,974 in a suit claiming the actor hit and injured the photographer with a Porsche after a family visit at a Los Angeles medical facility. The lawsuit took a year and a half to make to trial. During this time the paparazzo, Alison Silva continued to attack Reeves and demand payment.
However, at the trial all 12 jurors rejected the suit, requiring just one hour to deliberate before reaching a verdict.
"I didn't do it. I'm not the dad."
In 2009, Reeves became the subject of a paternity lawsuit where he was accused of father four children with a woman named Karen Sala, reported US Weekly. She claimed Reeves used both hypnosis and disguised himself as her ex-husband in order to impregnate her. She demanded $3 million a month in spousal support and $150,000 a month in retro child support.
A DNA test easily cleared Reeves of any connection with Sala or her children. "Karen Sala's allegations are completely false and absurd," a rep for Reeves said. Reeves himself had much to say about the wacky incident. "I had to go to court. It was horrible," he said. "I didn't do it. I'm not the dad."
Cheer-Up Keanu Day
In 2010, an image of Reeves became an internet meme after photos of him looking depressed while sitting alone on a park bench were posted to the website 4chan. The images went viral and appeared on several blogs and news sites. Eventually, this led to the "Keanu is Sad" or "Sad Keanu" meme.
An unofficial holiday was even created when Facebook fans declared June 15 as "Cheer-up Keanu Day". On the first anniversary of the event, Reeves was interviewed for an article in the newspaper The Guardian.
Keanu The Author
In 2011, Reeves added another feather in his cap by writing the text for a "grown-up picture book" titled Ode to Happiness. The entire idea started when Reeves' friend Janey Bergam was at the actor's house listening to sad, self-pitying songs. In the spirit of poking fun at them, Reeves began to write a poem.
The first few lines went "I draw a hot sorrow bath/In my despair room/I wash my hair with regret shampoo", along with mentions of his "pain soap", "I hate myself face cream", and "alone again silk pajamas". When Bergam made it into a handmade book and gifted it to Reeves six months later, the actor eventually got it illustrated by Los Angeles artist Alexandra Grant.
They published 4,000 limited edition copies of the book. Reeves said of the book, "Hopefully looking at this you can come out of [sadness] and become objective about what circumstances you’re going through and maybe have a smile about it."
Starting His Own Motorcycle Company
Reeves also produced the documentary Side by Side in 2011 which is about the supplanting of the photochemical film by digital camera technology. For the documentary, Reeves interviewed several celebrated directors such as James Cameron, Martin Scorcese, and Christopher Nolan.
As an avid motorcyclist, in 2011 Reeves also co-founded Arch Motorcycle Company with Gard Hollinger, which builds and sells custom motorcycles.
The Voice Of A Kitten
In 2014, Reeves played the titular role of John Wick. The neo-noir action thriller film performed well at the box office and led to two successful sequels which were all reviewed positively. Reeves had a voice cameo in the action-comedy film Keanu. He voiced the eponymous kitten for the film. Initially, the actor's management declined the director's request for Reeves to participate.
However, upon Reeves' sister showing the actor the film, Reeves wanted a part and contacted the directors directly. Since most of the film had been completed, he voiced the kitten in one scene.
Trouble With Stalkers
Reeves experienced two instances of stalkers trespassing on his Hollywood Hills home in 2014. On September 12, he awoke and found a stalker in his library who told him she was there to meet him. The actor calmly spoke with the stalker while he called the police who arrived and arrested her, later taking her for psychological evaluation.
Just three days later another stalker entered Reeves property after the gate was locked unlocked by a cleaning company. The intruder undresses and took a shower in Reeves bathroom and later swam naked in his pool. When the cleaning crew present grew suspicious and alerted Reeves, he then immediately notified the police and the stalker was arrested.
"I Believe In God And The Devil"
Reeves has expressed a belief in God or a higher power stating, "I believe in God and the Devil but they don't have to have pitchforks and a long white beard." When asked if he was a spiritual person, he replied in September 2013, "Do I believe in God, faith, inner faith, the self, passion, and things? Yes, of course! I'm very spiritual. Supremely spiritual. Bountifully spiritual. Supremely bountiful."
The actor has been reluctant to discuss his spiritual beliefs saying it is "personal and private".
Career On The Decline?
Lately, Reeves has been accepting of the fact that he doesn't receive many big-budget studio films following his string of independent films.
He expressed his disappointment to see his career take a downward turn when speaking with Indie Wire. "So I haven't been getting many offers from the studios," he said at the time. "It's just the way it is. You can have positive and negative experiences, but what I like about studios are the resources and the worlds that they can create. Obviously, a lot of good filmmakers work on studio movies."
He did, however, have praise for independent film productions. "Even when I was working on studio movies more often, I was always doing independent movies," Reeves continued." I want to keep going, making things, and telling stories. I want to be able to do that — to be an actor, a director, to produce, you know? If we're going to do a delineation between studio and independent, I was always hoping to do both."
Charitable Contributions
Reeves has set up a private cancer charity choosing not to attach his name to the organization to help a number of children's hospitals.
When his sister, Kim, was diagnosed with leukemia, he became her main caregiver and has spent $5 million on her treatment thus far. In 2014, Reeves revealed his sister had been battling cancer for over a decade with him becoming his sister’s caretaker. Reeves also supports PETA, the SickKids Foundation and Stand Up to Cancer.
A Star Unlike Any Other
Unlike many in Hollywood, Reeves likes to keep to himself and remain out of the spotlight whenever possible. For example, when he received his Hollywood star, he only invited a handful of friends to the ceremony, with most attendees being studio executives.
Reeves told TIME sharing too many private details distracts from the work. "I'm not interested in showing anybody what's behind the curtain," he said. "I like watching a good documentary about how something was made. I just don't want it to be my life."
Does Anyone Really Know Him?
Reeves Constantine co-star, Shia Lebeouf explained to TIME that Reeves remains a mysterious person. "I've worked with him for a year and a couple of months, but I don't really know him that much," LaBeouf told TIME. "I don't think he hangs out with other humans that much."
The director of the film, Francis Lawrence agreed saying, "Do I really know Keanu after working with him? No. I know things about him: he's hardworking, he's generous, he's a sweet, sweet guy. But it's all just sort of on the surface."
Even Reeves lifelong manager, Erwin Stoff, who has known the actor for decades doesn't know the real Keanu it seems. "Keanu is a really private person," Stoff said. "He's sort of perfected for himself a way of keeping a distance from people."
His Idea Of Happiness
When asked in 1995 about his idea of happiness, Reeves replied:
"Lying in bed with my lover, riding my bike, sports, happy times with my friends, conversation, learning, the earth, dirt, a beautiful repast with friends, family with wine and glorious food and happy tidings and energy and zest and lust for life. I like being in the desert, in nature, being in extraordinary spaces in nature, high in a tree or in the dirt, hanging out with my family, my sisters."
"I Want To Get Married. I Want To Have Kids."
As Reeves gets older, he's more philosophical about life. "My knees are well aware of it. Mortality is very different when you're 20 to when you're 50," he told GQ. "It creeps in here and there, doesn't it? You look out the f**king window and then you think about your eyes closing."
The actor though still holds out hope he will create his own family soon. "I'm trying not to be alone so much," Reeves told Parade magazine in 2006. "And man, it's a struggle. I want to get married. I want to have kids. That's at the top of the mountain. I've got to climb the mountain first. I'll do it. Just give me some time."