Why Keanu Reeves Was Never The Same After The Matrix
Keanu Reeves has been part of popular culture for several decades. From his breakthrough role in the comedy "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" to his turns in thrillers and romantic dramas, he is one of his era's most diverse and successful actors. In the mid-2010s, he experienced a resurgence thanks to his work in the "John Wick" franchise, but his performance in the 1999 sci-fi film "The Matrix" really announced him to the world.
Not only did the seminal movie make Reeves famous and bring him a new level of success, but it also changed his life in many important ways. Critically acclaimed and a certified box office success, "The Matrix" thrust Reeves into the role of computer hacker Neo alongside actors such as Carrie-Anne Moss and Laurence Fishburne. That first film started a multimedia franchise that has seen comics, games, and an animated movie release in addition to three live-action sequels hitting cinema screens.
It is fair to say that Keanu Reeves today is a very different actor and person than the individual who starred in "The Matrix," with the journey being a difficult one filled with obstacles. This is why Reeves has never been the same since the hit sci-fi movie.
The Matrix changed his life completely
"The Matrix" was far from Reeves' first significant movie role. The actor was already well established and had appeared in a number of hit films, from "Speed" alongside Sandra Bullock to the comedy time-traveling movie "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure." However, the sheer popularity of "The Matrix" and its widespread success catapulted Reeves and many other cast members to a new level of stardom.
Reeves went from being an actor to a hugely beloved star almost overnight. It provided him with a more serious image and led to audiences seeing him in a different light than before. In an interview with Esquire, the actor revealed his gratitude to Will Smith for turning down the role of Neo and detailed some of the impact the movie had on him. He said: "Well, it changed my life. And, it was such a wonderful creative experience, and so to play Neo in the 'Matrix' trilogy and now in the fourth ... It impacted my life, personally and creatively."
Keanu Reeves suffered lots of personal heartbreak immediately after the film
The release of "The Matrix" may have been a watershed moment in Keanu Reeves' career, but the movie also marked a more tragic turn in his personal life. Just a few months after the film was released, his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Syme, gave birth to a stillborn daughter the pair named Ava. The grief ultimately led to Reeves and Syme ending their relationship shortly afterward, with the loss of their child causing a tremendous strain between them.
Despite this, they remained close and were on friendly terms, later reconciling and once again started dating. In 2001, Syme died after she crashed her car while returning to a party hosted by music star Marilyn Manson. According to police reports, she lost control of her vehicle and made contact with several parked cars, which caused Syme to eject from the car at high speed. The actor has rarely spoken about his personal life but told The Guardian: "Grief and loss, those are things that don't ever go away. They stay with you."
He has been more open about his spiritual beliefs
Keanu Reeves has always been reluctant to talk about his personal life and beliefs. Throughout his career, the actor has spoken about wanting to keep elements of his existence private and tends to remain out of the public eye as much as possible — at least for someone who is a movie star and celebrity. However, that doesn't necessarily mean he has been unwilling to share anything about his life. The actor has occasionally opened up about his spiritual beliefs.
Along with saying some pretty profound things, it is clear that Reeves has a strong affiliation with Buddhism. While he doesn't follow the religion, his experience filming "Little Buddha" in 1993 provided a powerful connection to the faith. In particular, the actor appreciates the human aspect of Buddhism and how it is about understanding people and how they are feeling. Responding to a question during an interview with The Daily Beast, Reeves said: "Do I believe in God, faith, inner faith, the self, passion, and things? Yes, of course! I'm very spiritual."
The Matrix allowed Reeves to amass a huge amount of wealth
"The Matrix" ensured Keanu Reeves' life would be forever changed simply because of the amount of money that he earned from the role. He became one of the highest-paid actors of all time, receiving somewhere in the region of $15 million per film. But what really made the series a payday for Reeves is that he received a cut of the gross earnings for the original trilogy.
Considering that the first three films were all huge financial successes and brought in more than $1.6 billion in total, the actor was certainly able to make big bucks. Throw in his performance in "The Matrix Resurrections," and Reeves is reported to have been paid a total of $150 million for portraying Neo on screen. That puts the role among the most expensive in movie history and undoubtedly can be considered life-changing money for any individual.
He became known as an action star
Although Keanu Reeves came to the public's attention as a result of his breakthrough role in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" in 1989, the actor was perhaps best known as an action star. He had leading parts in "Point Break" and "Speed" in the early 1990s, portraying law enforcement officers attempting to foil criminals carrying out convoluted plans. But his performance in "The Matrix" truly established Reeves as a bankable and leading action hero.
After starring as Neo in the sci-fi film, Reeves appeared in three sequels. He took on the leading role in the 2013 fantasy action movie "47 Ronin" and also starred in "Man of Tai Chi" in the same year, co-starring with Tiger Chen. Most famously, though, the actor is famous for portraying John Wick in the franchise of the same name. Reeves has played the assassin across four movies, and the property has expanded to include a spinoff TV show and feature film.
Yet, Reeves has appeared in a wide range of genres
Of course, Keanu Reeves has not been completely pigeonholed as an action star. Long before his roles in "Point Break," "Speed," and "The Matrix," he was best known for his work in other genres. Rising to fame for his part in the comedy film "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," Reeves took one of the two leading roles alongside River Phoenix in "My Own Private Idaho."
Following "The Matrix," the actor appeared in the sports comedy film "The Replacements" with Gene Hackman and followed that up with a significant part in the Sam Raimi thriller "The Gift." Further expanding his range, Reeves has appeared in romantic dramas such as "Sweet November" and "The Lake House," as well as the supernatural horror film "Constantine." He was part of the main cast of the sci-fi film "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and has even portrayed the character Johnny Silverhand in the video game "Cyberpunk 2077."
A stringent workout regime now keeps him in shape
"The Matrix" received a lot of praise when it hit theaters in 1999, and chief among the acclaim was the high-octane and stylized fight scenes. Getting in shape to be able to take part in the stunts and make the action look believable was tough. The actors had to go through an intensive training regime under the instruction of famed choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, a process lasting several months.
Outside of preparing Reeves for his work on "The Matrix," this training seemingly instilled a desire to maintain his fitness and stay active. His personal trainer, Patrick Murphy, has explained that the actor spends a large amount of time in the gym working on his core strength and endurance to give him the ability to do much of the stunt work in the "John Wick" franchise himself. This allows Reeves to recover quickly and remain balanced during strenuous exercise. Murphy told GQ, "Keanu is second to none when it comes to focus and effort for a physical role."
Reeves moved into directing and producing
Following the success of "The Matrix," Keanu Reeves has been able to take some chances in his career. This has even led to him occasionally becoming involved with projects where he works behind the camera instead of in front of it. Most notably, he directed the multilingual martial arts film "Man of Tai Chi," in addition to portraying one of the leading characters. The film received praise from critics but failed to be a financial success, although Reeves has expressed interest in directing again.
In 2012, he produced and narrated the documentary "Side by Side," which looks into the changes in modern filmmaking and features interviews with David Lynch, James Cameron, and Martin Scorsese. Additionally, Reeves has been heavily involved in the making of the F1 documentary "Brawn: The One Pound Formula 1 Team" for Disney+ and acts as host and narrator. He is also involved in an upcoming adaptation of his comic book series "BRZRKR," produced by Netflix.
Keanu Reeves has become an activist for many causes
Like many famous figures and celebrities, Keanu Reeves doesn't just focus on his own career. Over the last few decades, the actor has supported several charitable causes and has spoken out as an activist. His sister was diagnosed with leukemia and had treatment for the disease that lasted a decade, prompting the actor to help raise cancer awareness and provide aid for those who are affected.
Reeves has set up an anonymous cancer fund that quietly gives large sums of money to various charities without his name being attached to the donations. It is not just money that the star has committed to these causes. He offered a 15-minute private Zoom call date in support of a Camp Rainbow Gold auction. Much of his efforts have been spent on donating time and money to charities focused on helping children diagnosed with cancer around the United States and Canada.
He has been dating an artist for many years
The tragic death of Keanu Reeves' former girlfriend, Jennifer Syme, in 2001 understandably made romantic relationships more difficult for him. According to multiple sources, the actor largely remained single after Syme's death and avoided discussing his personal life. This was likely a result of Reeve's grief and his attempts to come to terms with what had happened.
However, the actor has confirmed he is in a relationship with artist Alexandra Grant. The pair originally met years ago and have worked on several books together, but only revealed they were dating in 2019. However, it is unknown how long they've been dating, with friends of the pair suggesting they may have been together longer than many people realize.
Despite being somewhat reclusive about his private life, the actor has spoken publicly about Grant. In an interview with People, he explained how she makes him feel, saying: "A couple of days ago with my honey [was my last moment of bliss]. We were in bed. We were connected. We were smiling and laughing and giggling. Feeling great. It was just really nice to be together."
Reeves became a hugely popular meme
Keanu Reeves became an internet meme in 2010 when a photograph emerged of him sitting alone on a bench eating a sandwich. The sullen and moody look gave rise to what people called Sad Keanu, with the image soon going viral. Fans quickly established June 15 as an unofficial international holiday called Cheer Up Keanu Day.
Despite all the online buzz, Reeves was initially unaware of the extent of the meme until it was made clear to him in an interview with Vulture a few months later. With fans around the world discussing what was going on in his head to make him look so unhappy, Reeves finally revealed the answer in an interview on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert."
According to the actor, nothing particularly upsetting prompted the photograph, just a culmination of several rather mundane factors. "I'm just eating a sandwich, man," he said. "I was thinking. I had some stuff going on. I was hungry."
The actor has had to deal with stalkers
Being a celebrity might seem like the best thing in the world, and it certainly comes with plenty of perks. However, there is also a dark side to being a public figure, and it can sometimes attract some nefarious individuals. One far too common issue comes with stalkers, individuals who become obsessive over famous people and go to extreme lengths to see them. This is something that has affected Keanu Reeves during his career.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed in early 2023 that the actor secured a temporary restraining order in Los Angeles against an alleged stalker. According to court documents, the 38-year-old man repeatedly turned up at Reeves' home and harassed him multiple times. Police investigations confirmed the person had trespassed at the actor's house in Los Angeles at least six times, at one point leaving behind a DNA kit that he intended to use to try and prove he and Reeves are related.
He has faced censorship in China
In 2022, Keanu Reeves recited the poem "Pull My Daisy" as part of the 35th Annual House of Tibet Benefit Concert. The event is closely associated with the Dalai Lama and is contentious within China due to its support for Tibet's independence movement. Almost immediately after his appearance was announced, Chinese nationalists spoke out against the actor and even proposed boycotts of movies starring Reeves, including "The Matrix Resurrections."
Many of those who have previously voiced support for Tibet have seen censorship in China, with performers effectively having any content featuring them banned. A similar fate awaited Reeves, with Chinese authorities forcing streaming sites within the country to remove his films. Platforms like Tencent and iQiyi removed all mention of Reeves, with films such as "The Matrix" and "The Lake House" all being pulled from streaming services. Considering the importance of China as a growing market for cinema, this may have a significant effect on Reeves' career moving forward.
Reeves is now an influential figure in the world
2022 saw Keanu Reeves named as one of the most influential people of the year by Time. He was listed alongside actors such as Andrew Garfield, Zoé Kravitz, and Mila Kunis, as well as figures such as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky and Apple CEO Tim Cook. The annual list was first published in 1999 and features individuals that Time writers and contributors feel have had the most influence and power over events in the world.
Reeves' friend and "Matrix" co-star Carrie-Anne Moss wrote his entry in Time, saying that he is a "handsome, talented, successful, and fiercely committed actor" whose "essence and humanity come through every character he plays, as well as in the everyday interactions that the world catches glimpses of."
He has previously been named by Forbes on its annual Celebrity 100 lists in the early 2000s and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Meanwhile, The New York Times called him the fourth best actor of the 21st century.
Since the film, he has expanded his interests into other artistic endeavors
Outside of the world of acting and film, Keanu Reeves has continued his artistic efforts. He created the comic series "BRZRKR," serving as writer for the title that has continued to three volumes in total. His other publishing projects include "Ode to Happiness" and "Shadows: A Collaborative Project," illustrated by his partner, Alexandra Grant.
Alongside Grant and Jessica Fleischmann, Reeves set up X Artists' Books as an independent publishing house for creative books. His movie success and wealth give Reeves the ability to pursue another passion — motorcycles. With Gard Hollinger, he set up his own custom motorcycle company in the form of Arch Motorcycle Co. and released custom bikes, such as the KRGT-1, for $78,000.
The actor is also well known for his work with the alternative rock band Dogstar. He founded the group with Robert Mailhouse, and the pair currently performs with Bret Domrose, who replaced Gregg Miller. They released two albums before going on hiatus in 2002 but reformed to go on tour and put out a third album in 2023.