Keanu Reeves has gained quite a reputation for himself as an actor and creative throughout his years in the industry. However, we know him best for his being modest and his generosity. These traits have even made their way into popular culture through the viral Keanu Reeves meme!
With that said, how well do you really know the “real” John Wick? With the new film in the works and his most recent participation in Cyberpunk 2077, let us refresh your memory with some of the actor’s most notable career highlights.
Who is Keanu Reeves?
Full Name: Keanu Charles Reeves
Birthday: September 2, 1964
Place of Birth: Beirut, Lebanon
Nationality: Canadian
Years Active: 1984 to present
Keanu Reeves Parents: Patricia Taylor and Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr.
Keanu Reeves Age
How old is Keanu Reeves? The actor is 56 years old as of 2020 and he began acting at the age of 20, making his debut as a correspondent for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s youth program, Going Great. He would later land a role in an episode of Hangin’ In, a Canadian TV series, which would serve as his introduction to further acting roles.
Keanu Reeves Girlfriend
It was in 2009 when Keanu Reeves and Alexandra Grant first met each other at a dinner party. The two became longtime collaborators since then and have even worked on two books together. Not many people knew of Keanu Reeves dating the artist. In fact, while close friends were privy to the secret, the couple only made their romantic relationship public in 2019.
Keanu Reeves Wife
As for Keanu Reeves wife, the actor has never been married, but has had a number of long-term relationships over the years. Among them is Jennifer Syme, who had been pregnant with their daughter Ava Archer Syme-Reeves. Unfortunately, Ava was stillborn.
Keanu Reeves Net Worth
As of 2020, the actor has reportedly amassed a $360 million net worth. Did you know that he earned a mere $3,000 for his first film role in Youngblood? A far cry from the $30 million he fetched for starring in the final two Matrix movies!
He doesn’t pocket all that money, however. Reeves isn’t too attached to the numbers in his bank account and often gives generously. In fact, he gave a set builder he met while working on The Matrix a $20,000 bonus after finding out that the person was going through financial difficulties.
Want to know just how prolific he has been throughout the years? One look at the Keanu Reeves IMDB page will show you just how he has managed to earn such a significant net worth. Let’s not forget the fact that he has his own business, Arch Motorycles.
KEANU REEVES CAREER TIMELINE
1989 – Early Beginnings
Despite being well-known for his work in the action and drama genres, Reeves’ first hit movie was the comedy Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, which later spawned successful sequels. His role as Ted, a stoner genius, garnered acclaim. The film itself received mixed reviews, but did well at the box office. Needless to say, it helped put his name on the map.
Bill and Ted was followed by Reeves’ role in the family dramedy Parenthood, which also starred Steve Martin, Martha Plimpton, and Joaquin Phoenix. It was on the set of this film that Reeves met River Phoenix, with whom he would later co-star in My Own Private Idaho.
1990 – Keanu Reeves Dogstar
The alternative rock scene was at its prime during the 90s and Reeves was not one to fall behind on trends. Given his skill as a bassist, the actor joined the band Dogstar after he met its drummer, Robert Mailhouse, in a grocery store. He would stay in the band for several years and even joined Mailhouse’s subsequent project, Becky, after Dogstar’s split.
1991 – Keanu Reeves My Own Private Idaho
Following the success of his previous projects, Reeves began to take on an eclectic mix of productions, which includes big-budget flicks like the action-crime film Point Break. In it, Reeves portrays an undercover agent for the FBI who is tasked to investigate a group of bank robbers hiding amongst a gang of surfers. The film was highly successful and has since developed a cult following.
Reeves later signed on for Gus Van Sant’s indie drama My Own Private Idaho, for which he garnered much praise. It was during filming that the River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves friendship grew, which lasted long after they finished filming. Their friendship was cut short by Phoenix’s sudden passing in 1993, however – an event which deeply affected Reeves.
In 1994, he starred alongside Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper in the widely successful action film Speed. Impressed by his performance in Point Break, Director Jan de Bont personally chose the actor for the role. Reeves shaved off all of his hair and put in the work to gain muscle mass, just to make sure he looks the part. Keanu Reeves Speed more than tripled its budget and won two Academy Awards in 1995.
1999 – Keanu Reeves Matrix Role
The 1994 film Speed helped cement Keanu Reeves as one of the industry’s finest action stars, but it was his role in The Matrix that would turn him into a bonafide Hollywood A-Lister. Directed by the Wachowski’s, the film follows Neo, a computer hacker who gets enlisted to help take down dystopian overlords and help in truly freeing mankind.
It ushered in a new era of action movies, pioneering new techniques, and remains one of Reeve’s most iconic roles. The spin-offs may not have been as successful as the first, but each film still made millions in the box-office. If you thought that you’ve seen the last of the franchise, brace yourself because the fourth film is reportedly already being filmed.
The Matrix 4 Updates
The Matrix 4 will see Keanu Reeves reprise his role, alongside Carrie-Anne Moss. So, what do we know about the fourth installment? So far, it’s been confirmed that Lana Wachowski will be directing and writing the script together with David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon—both of whom have previously worked on the series finale of Sense8. Confirmed members of the cast also include Jada Pinkett-Smith and Neil Patrick Harris.
Using the code name “Project Ice Cream”, filming began in February 2020 with a possible release date of December 2021.
2000s – Keanu Reeves Constantine
Reeves’ next film roles after The Matrix reflected the actor’s eclectic taste in roles and just how versatile he can actually be. He was the romantic lead in the rom-com Something’s Gotta Give, as well as in the romantic drama The Lake House. Winona Ryder Keanu Reeves also reunited for the film Destination Wedding, which did fairly well at the box office.
At the same time, Reeves was also acting in some of the most popular dark thrillers of the decade, such as Constantine. There, he portrayed John Constantine, an occult detective who has the ability to both perceive, as well as communicate, with half-demons and half-angels. It did fairly well in the box office, though reviews were mixed.
This was followed by another thriller, A Scanner Darkly. In the Richard Linklater animated sci-fi thriller, Reeves played Fred/Bob Arctor who is an undercover agent in a futuristic dystopia. Despite the fact that it failed in the box office, it did receive plenty of good reviews.
It was also during this period that Reeves had to set aside his music career, since performing and filming created conflicting schedules for him. The sacrifice was worth it, however, for he received his own star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005.
Other notable Keanu Reeves movies from this time include Street Kings and The Day the Earth Stood Still. Both received mixed reviews, though.
2010s – Directorial Debut in Man of Tai Chi
By 2010, Reeves maintained a mostly low profile when it comes to filming. A lot of his work during this time received lukewarm success in the box office and in some cases, were largely forgettable. In 2011, the only work he did was an adult picture book he collaborated on with Alexandra Grant, entitled “Ode to Happiness.” He wrote the text for it and Grant did the illustrations.
In 2012, he produced the documentary Side by Side in which he interviewed established directors such as Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, and Christopher Nolan. This was followed by a role in Generation Um…, an independent drama which was panned by critics.
Reeves made his directorial debut in 2013 through the martial arts film Man of Tai Chi. The movie was shot in China and Hong Kong, and its story was inspired by Tiger Chen, who is a friend of the actor. It premiered at the Beijing Film festival where it was received with praise. The film failed in the box office, however. In the same vein, Reeves’ subsequent movie 47 Ronin, where he had the lead role, flopped as well.
Career Resurgence and the John Wick Movies
He may have had a string of commercial failures in previous years, but 2014 helped the actor rebound from all of it. His lead role in the neo-noir thriller John Wick was critically acclaimed and the film was a box office hit. The New York Times praised his performance, citing that Reeves had always done well in roles that “demand cool over hot, attitude over emotion.” This initial success would spawn equally successful sequels.
John Wick: Chapter 2
In 2017’s John Wick 2, the story continues just minutes from where the first film ends. It was received well, both critically and commercially. In fact, it made millions more than its predecessor, since the character and the storyline had already been established. Within the same year, Reeves switched gears and starred in the drama To The Bone, alongside Lily Collins.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Keanu Reeves returned to the John Wick franchise in 2019. Much like the first two, it picks up directly where the previous film ended, but also introduced an entirely new ensemble cast, which includes actress Halle Berry. John Wick 3 was highly praised for its cinematography and fight scenes, while Reeves was nominated for Favorite Male Movie Star at the 2019 People’s Choice Awards.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Keanu Reeves will be a very busy man over the next few years. Aside from filming for The Matrix franchise, he is also working on two additional sequels for John Wick (John Wick 4 and 5), which will be shot back-to-back.
Keanu Reeves SpongeBob Role: Tumbleweed Reeves
Aside from the usual Keanu Reeves meme, he also went viral in 2019 after people began calling it the “Year of Keanu Reeves” following reports that he will be in the new SpongeBob movie: Sponge on the Run.
Always the type to surprise with his role choices, the actor thrilled fans after confirming his cameo appearance in the film as a tumbleweed. The hilarious role was revealed in the SpongeBob movie trailer and if you’ve ever had doubts about his versatility, give this one a watch because it’ll show you just how adaptable he is.
Look, we’re not the only one who thinks this way. Twitter was abuzz with various memes and other content after the trailer dropped. Christened by fans as “Tumbleweed Reeves,” many have begun touting this new role as one of his “most breathtaking performances” yet. Tumbleweed Reeves has surely secured himself a new set of fans – ones who are very enthusiastic at that!
Keanu Reeves Cyberpunk 2077
There was much hype surrounding the actor’s participation in CD Projekt Red’s newest game. In fact, during Microsoft’s E3 2019 Briefing, one guy couldn’t help himself and managed to make an entire audience laugh after shouting out “Keanu Reeves you’re breathtaking!” as he spoke to the crowd about Cyberpunk 2077. In return and in true Keanu-fashion, he replied with a kind, “You’re breathtaking! You’re all breathtaking!”
The man behind the touching moment? None other than YouTuber Peter Sark, who was gifted with a free Cyberpunk 2077 Collector’s Edition courtesy of CD Projekt Red.
Keanu Reeves Johnny Silverhand
While he has done voiceover work before, starring in a video game as a character is new for the actor. He confirmed as much in an interview with Night City Wire. The actor talked about how deeply invested he had been when it came to his portrayal. Additionally, he shared how fun it had been to play different iterations of the character.
This was big news for those eagerly awaiting the game, which had been delayed four times already. With Keanu Reeves onboard and sharing countless exciting details about Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay, it’s no wonder everyone was hyped about him being in it.
Who is Johnny Silverhand?
In Cyberpunk 2020, Johnny Silverhand is a famous rockstar who plays for the band Samurai. Aside from having a cybernetic arm, he was also previously in the military. Silverhand served in several conflicts, before finally deciding to become a deserter. With a rival record label blackmailing him about his past, he leaves the band to go solo. After, he releases an album that details his struggles and his time in the military.
With this, he became a cult hero and actively rebelled against the system, making enemies along the way. Sounds like a mash-up of Reeves’ previous characters while also referencing his career as a musician, right? No wonder he had been drawn to it! To think the people behind the character weren’t even sure if they could afford to have him onboard.
Cyberpunk 2077 Review
The Cyberpunk 2077 release date was on December 10, 2020. That said, with the game’s release and contrary to the hype, the reviews about it have been mixed. Some even point to Keanu Reeves’ participation as the tipping point. When it comes to Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay, the most common complaint is that it is rife with bugs. It crashes so often that CDPR has even resorted to offering refunds.
For fans of the actor who are curious, you might be better off watching game trailers instead. The Game Awards 2020 nominees should give you a good idea on which ones are worth spending money on. Reeves made an appearance in this particular event, too.
In Closing
The funny thing about Keanu Reeves is that despite the fact that he is a well-known celebrity, there is an air of enigma that surrounds his personality. He has been described as both charming yet excruciatingly shy. It’s this charm, we suppose, that keeps people wanting more from the actor.
It could also be the thing that makes him so relatable and beloved. Just think back to the time when the “Sad Keanu” meme was at its peak. Following the spread of those memes, everyone agreed to declare June 15 as “Cheer-up Keanu Day.” He has even been dubbed as the “Internet’s Boyfriend” and went viral for the Keanu Reeves immortal theory.
Few other celebrities hold the same influence that he has. Without question, Keanu Reeves is in a league of his own.
