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Keanu Reeves is one of Hollywood’s most mysterious and beloved figures, known for his appreciation of privacy. The legendary actor has faced personal hardships, including the death of his girlfriend Jennifer Syme and the loss of their baby Ava in a stillbirth, but he has never publicly spoken about these tragedies. While the 60-year-old actor, born in Lebanon, has kept many details of his life under wraps, he has occasionally opened up during Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions, offering fans a rare glimpse into his world. He did AMAs in 2013 and 2014, around the release of Man of Tai Chi, and again in 2023 for John Wick: Chapter 4. Here are 23 of the best questions he answered.
2013-2014
For a long time in Los Angeles when I first moved there, when I was 20 years old, it was such a new world and so I saw some guys at a gas station once who had hockey equipment in their car, and I asked them what they were doing, and they said they were playing street hockey, so I asked them if I could play. So I became involved in a street hockey game that took place every weekend for over 10 years, every weekend, red versus black. We would take holidays off and sometimes summers, but the game was going on for over 10 years. That was cool to be a part of. It was a cool thing to have happen. Made some friends.
Yeah, I guess my security wasn't good enough... it's better now!
And, uh, it was really scary. The first time was at like 4 in the morning on a Saturday, and it was scary.
My favorite childhood memory... being born! Childhood memory... today, I'm going to pick - here's a fun one for me. In the summers, when the school was out, we would build go-karts. And then just ride 'em down the hills until the wheels fell off. That was a good day.
It's a tough question. Today I will choose: at that intersection of Hollywood and Gower, the car's not going to stop for the yellow light, so don't go through there.
You know, I was thinking that just the other day... as I was going to set for John Wick. I was actually counting them as well. I think there's something, for some reason, the name John is attractive to storytellers to hang their characters on.
I don't cook. I wish I did. But I don't. But let's see umm someone else prepares the meal, I always offer to do the dishes!"
I do like chocolate milk. But it has to be cold. You know? It has to be cold.
OHHHH. TODAY I AM GOING TO PICK: A hot pastrami sandwich, with Russian and mustard. On rye. With a kosher dill pickle. Sliced in quarters. With some potato chips. And a Coca-Cola with crushed ice.
My first experience with that was Sad Keanu, and I thought it was funny!
I have kept a couple of things. I don't have the surfboard, but I think I have a coat from the first Matrix. I have the sword from Hamlet, I kept a lot of working scripts, I have the jersey from The Replacements, I've got Constantine's lighter and watch, I have Bill & Ted's shorts (Ted's shorts), I used to have the leather jacket from My Own Private Idaho but I gave that to a friend. And I think that's it.
Advice is tough. If I am asked for advice I will do the best I can. But I always start off by saying first off "I hate giving advice." In some way, there's a responsibility to advice that I am scared of. But I will give advice. Especially on more practical things. Like practical advice, I'm much more comfortable with. Life advice, not so much. What does your heart say? What do you hope to have happen? How are you doing? If something is hurting you, why and how, and how can it be changed? I have had some exposure to Buddhism and some exposure to the Dao, and they certainly have influenced my thoughts, the experience of compassion and permanence, and the idea of the nature of being alive.
2023
Yes… the first pet I ever had was a guinea pig named Carrot. I was 5 or 6 years old. He was a cutie-pie.
Heck yea. How’s it going? How was your trip? You hungry? Want anything to drink?
...we die…and we all need all the help we can get.
…I love chicken wings…but I don’t want to eat really spicy chicken wings…especially not in public…and certainly not with the consequences in private. Bon apetit.
Not stolen… the watch and wedding ring from John Wick, a sword from 47 Ronin, and the first red pill that the Wachowskis ever gave me.
I was recently in Tokyo working and was taken to a bar owned by a master cocktail maker named Ueno-san called High Five and he made some kind of sublime concoction with a smoky mezcal and green tea and some mysterious sweet liqueur, chilled. Oh my god.
I like me some motorcycles, typewriters, Japanese whisky, playing in the band, learning, reading, and some fine red wine.
...My bucket list is getting really long…the #1s change but today let’s go with sailing across an ocean
Birds are cool…I sometimes wish I was a bird…if only for a fleeting moment.
Well, when I was a kid I always said I wanted to be a race car driver, a conductor, or an astrophysicist. Today, let’s conduct some music.
Yes. No. Yes.
Nay…but yay if the pineapple is slightly roasted.