Keanu Reeves facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keanu Reeves
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Reeves at Primavera Sound 2024
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Keanu Charles Reeves
September 2, 1964 Beirut, Lebanon
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| Citizenship | Canada |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1984–present |
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Works
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Full list |
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| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Rock |
| Instruments | Bass guitar |
| Years active | 1991–present |
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Keanu Charles Reeves (born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor and musician. He is famous for his roles in many popular movies. These include comedies like the Bill & Ted films (1989–1991). He also starred in action thrillers such as Point Break (1991) and Speed (1994). Later, he became well-known for the John Wick series (2014–2023). Another big role was in the science fiction action series The Matrix (1999–2003 and 2021).
Keanu Reeves has also acted in serious films. These include Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and Little Buddha (1993). He was also in the romantic horror movie Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).
Many people have praised Reeves for his acting skills. A journalist from New York Times said he shows great skill and variety in his roles. He has won several awards for his acting. In 2005, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and School
Keanu Charles Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon. His mother, Patricia Taylor, was a costume designer. His father, Samuel Nowlin Reeves, Jr., was from Hawaii. Keanu's mother is English. His father has Chinese, Hawaiian, English, Irish, and Portuguese roots.
Keanu moved around a lot when he was a child. His parents divorced in 1966. After that, his mother moved the family to Sydney, Australia, and then to New York City. They later moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Keanu lived in the Yorkville area of Toronto for most of his childhood.
Keanu went to four different high schools in five years. He had dyslexia, which made school challenging. He was much better at sports than at academics. At De La Salle College, he was a skilled hockey goalkeeper. People called him "The Wall" because he was so good. He dreamed of playing hockey for Canada. However, an injury stopped him from pursuing this dream. He left high school at 17 without a diploma. But he still attended Avondale Secondary Alternative School while working as an actor.
Keanu Reeves' Acting Career
Keanu Reeves started acting at age nine. His first role was in a play called Damn Yankees. When he was 15, he played Mercutio in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet.
Three years after leaving high school, he moved to Los Angeles. He got a green card through his American stepfather. He lived with his former stepfather, Paul Aaron, who was a director. Keanu acted in TV shows, commercials (like one for Coca-Cola), and short films. He also continued to act on stage.
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His first big movie was Youngblood (1986). In this film, he played a goalie from Quebec. After the movie came out, Keanu drove to Los Angeles in his 1969 Volvo. His stepfather had already arranged for Erwin Stoff to be Keanu's manager. Stoff is still Keanu's manager and has helped produce many of his films.
After some smaller roles, Keanu got a main part in the 1986 drama River's Edge. This movie was a success. He then starred in other movies for teens, such as Permanent Record, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, and Parenthood.
In the early 1990s, Keanu started taking on different types of roles. He appeared in smaller independent films, like My Own Private Idaho (1991) with River Phoenix. He also starred in big action movies like Point Break and Speed.
In 1999, Keanu starred in the science fiction hit The Matrix. This movie was a huge success. The next two Matrix movies, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, were also very popular.
In 2019, Keanu went to São Paulo to produce a Netflix series called Conquest. He also filmed a fourth Matrix movie, The Matrix Resurrections, which came out in 2021.
Keanu also co-wrote a comic book series called BRZRKR. It was published in three parts from 2021 to 2023. The first issue sold over 615,000 copies. This made it a top-selling comic since 2015.
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Keanu is also a musician. He plays bass guitar in a band called Dogstar. After meeting for jam sessions for many years, the band started recording new music during the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to their album, Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees (2023). After their first performance in 20 years, Keanu and Dogstar went on a tour in North America and Japan.
In November 2023, Keanu hosted and helped produce a four-part documentary series. It was called Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story for Hulu and Disney+.
Keanu Reeves has starred in four John Wick movies. In April 2024, he was chosen to voice Shadow the Hedgehog. This character is in the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie, which will be released in December 2024. He also voiced Shadow in a video game called Shadow Generations (2024).
In January 2025, Keanu had a voice role in the TV series Severance. He will also star in upcoming films like Good Fortune and Outcome. He will play John Wick again in the spin-off film From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Keanu is also set to star in the film The Entertainment System Is Down. He will co-produce a documentary about Benny Urquidez. In late 2025, Keanu will make his Broadway debut in the play Waiting for Godot.
A movie based on his comic book BRZRKR is being made for Netflix. Keanu will produce and star in it. An anime series based on BRZRKR is also planned for Netflix. There are also plans for a fifth John Wick movie. A TV series called John Wick: Under The High Table is being developed, with Keanu as an executive producer.
Personal Life
Keanu Reeves has British citizenship because his mother is English. He also has Canadian citizenship and an American green card.
Keanu is a private person. He is currently in a relationship with Alexandra Grant, who is a visual artist.
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Helping Others and Businesses
Keanu Reeves started a charity to help people with cancer. He chose not to put his name on it. In 2014, he shared that his sister Kim had battled leukemia for over ten years. He also supports groups like PETA, the SickKids Foundation, and Stand Up to Cancer.
Keanu also co-founded a film production company called Company Films. This company helped make the movie Henry's Crime, which Keanu starred in. He loves motorcycles and co-founded Arch Motorcycle Company. This company builds and sells special custom motorcycles.
In 2017, Keanu, Jessica Fleischmann, and Alexandra Grant started a book publishing company called X Artists' Books. Keanu has written two books: Ode to Happiness and Shadows. He wrote the words for these books, and Alexandra Grant provided the photographs and art.
Keanu Reeves' Famous Quotes
- “The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way.”
- “Multi-culture is the real culture of the world — a pure race doesn’t exist.”
- “I was raised to treat people exactly how I would like to be treated by others. It’s called respect.”
- “I don’t understand why people get mad when they get rejected by somebody or something. They have done you a favor by not wasting your time and playing with you.”
- “Sometimes we get so caught up in our daily lives that we forget to take the time out to enjoy the beauty in life.”
- “Every struggle in your life has shaped you into the person you are today. Be thankful for the hard times, they can only make you stronger.”
Cool Facts About Keanu Reeves
- Keanu does many of his own stunts in movies. He has been injured many times while filming.
- He once rode his motorcycle over 1,000 miles to bring a script to his friend River Phoenix. He wanted River to star in a movie with him.
- Keanu has sometimes given up part of his own salary. This helped free up money to hire other famous actors for his movies.
- He gave the stunt teams of The Matrix movies Harley Davidson motorcycles. This was to thank them for their hard work.
- Keanu has published books of his own poetry.
- He also collects old typewriters.
- Keanu was the bassist and back-up vocalist in a band called Dogstar.
- As a musician, he has sometimes been booed off the stage by the audience.
- In 1993, Keanu was in a Coca-Cola commercial. He played a cyclist who was coached by his dad.
- In 2023, a substance that kills fungi was named after him. It is called Keanumycin.
Images for kids
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Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is a 1989 American science fiction comedy film.
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Speed is a 1994 American action thriller film.
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The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction action film.
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John Wick is a 2014 action thriller film.
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Exposed is a 2016 American thriller film.
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John Wick: Chapter 2 is a 2017 action thriller film.
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Reeves' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
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Reeves leaving the press conference for The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Berlinale 2009
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See also
In Spanish: Keanu Reeves para niños
