\nKeanu Reeves Has Done a \u2018World of Good\u2019 as He Approaches 60: He\u2019s a \u2018Sensitive and Sweet Soul\u2019\n
Keanu Reeves got a little emotional during a recent interview when The Late Show host Stephen Colbert brought up The Matrix, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. After a long pause, the actor assured that the movie had changed his life, then acknowledged its influence on movie fans. \u201cThe amount of people that I have met who have said to me and been touched by The Matrix in such a positive way,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s the best.\u201d\n
One of Hollywood\u2019s most beloved stars, Keanu has been in a reflective mood of late. With seven projects in the pipeline, the actor, who turns 60 September 2, isn\u2019t slowing down, but that looming birthday has him feeling philosophical. \u201cI\u2019m 59, so I\u2019m thinking about death all the time,\u201d he told BBC news, adding that he felt that was a good thing. \u201cHopefully, it\u2019s not crippling, but hopefully it\u2019s sensitized [us] to an appreciation of the breath we have, and the relationships that we have the potential to have.\u201d\n
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It\u2019s a hard-won sentiment. The man behind the \u201cSad Keanu\u201d meme has truly had to overcome tragedy in his life. Raised by single mom Patricia Taylor, who moved around and eventually settled in Canada, he was estranged from his father, Samuel Reeves, who died in 2018. Paul Aaron, a theater and movie director his mom was briefly wed to encouraged him to get a gofer job on a movie set. Keanu was drawn to acting and made his debut on a Canadian TV series in 1984.\n
After a move to Los Angeles, the young actor faced a series of losses, including the death of his friend River Phoenix in 1993. Then, in his mid-30s, Keanu and his girlfriend at the time, Jennifer Syme, suffered an unbearable loss when she gave birth eight months into her pregnancy and the couple\u2019s child was stillborn. Tragically, Jennifer was killed in an auto accident in 2001. Keanu, who plays bass in the band Dogstar and has published books of poetry, has said his 2016 book of verse, Shadows, was his way of processing his grief. \u201cEven [to] be inspired by it,\u201d he later said, adding that he didn\u2019t want \u201cto be trapped inside it \u2026 [The book] just put things in a new shape that I could carry.\u201d\n
Known for his extraordinary generosity on set \u2014 the motorcycle enthusiast famously gave each of the Matrix stuntmen Harley Davidsons \u2014 the actor also spent a decade caring for his sister, Kim, after she was diagnosed with leukemia. (She\u2019s currently in remission.) His kindness stands out in Hollywood. \u201cIt\u2019s about doing the right thing,\u201d an insider exclusively tells Closer. \u201cHe\u2019s done a world of good for a lot of people.\u201d But he pooh-poohs his reputation for selflessness. \u201cI love owning things, I love having stuff,\u201d he recently insisted. \u201cI\u2019m certainly not going to present myself as someone who gives everything away.\u201d\n
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For the past five years, Keanu has been happily dating artist Alexandra Grant. The pair were friends and artistic collaborators \u2014 they worked together on the 2011 book Ode to Happiness and cofounded a publishing company in 2017 \u2014 before things turned romantic. \u201cKeanu has found a soulmate in Alexandra,\u201d says the insider. \u201cShe brings a calming stability to his life that wasn\u2019t there before. He\u2019s content in this relationship.\u201d\n
The admiration goes both ways. In a rare 2023 interview, the 51-year-old opened up about their connection, gushing that Keanu \u2014 who\u2019s just released his first novel, The Book of Elsewhere \u2014 is \u201csuch an inspiration\u201d to her, adding, \u201cHe\u2019s so creative, he\u2019s so kind. He works so hard.\u201d And, after a lifetime of loss and success, he seems to have found a deep sense of peace. \u201cHe\u2019s a sensitive and sweet soul,\u201d says the insider. \u201cKeanu may be one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, but it hasn\u2019t changed who he is. There\u2019s nothing false about him.\u201d\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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