Keanu Charles Reeves, born September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon, is the son of Patric Reeves, a showgirl and costume designer, and Samuel Nowlin Reeves, a geologist. His father, of Native Hawaiian and Chinese ancestry, was born in Hawaii, while his mother is from Essex, England. After his parents' divorce, Keanu moved to New York City with his mother and sister, and later to Toronto, where he attended high school.
Keanu took an interest in ice hockey, earning the nickname "The Wall," and drama, but struggled academically. He dropped out of school to pursue an acting career, starting with stage gigs and made-for-TV movies. His breakthrough roles came in the late 1980s, including Youngblood, River's Edge, and Dangerous Liaisons.
The 1990s saw Keanu's rise to fame, with starring roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Parenthood, I Love You to Death, and Speed. He continued to alternate between big-budget action films and smaller, more artistic projects, including My Own Private Idaho, Dracula, and Much Ado About Nothing.
In the early 2000s, Keanu starred in The Matrix trilogy, becoming a bonafide box-office star. He then appeared in a string of smaller films before reprising his role as Neo in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.
Since the end of The Matrix trilogy, Keanu has continued to balance mainstream and indie fare, landing hits with Something's Gotta Give, The Lake House, and Street Kings. He has also appeared in films such as Constantine, A Scanner Darkly, and The Day the Earth Stood Still, as well as art-house projects like Ellie Parker, Thumbsucker, and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.
In recent years, Keanu has appeared in John Wick and its sequel, as well as the documentary Side by Side, which he also produced. He has also directed the Asian-influenced project Man of Tai Chi and has several projects in development.
Throughout his career, Keanu has been known for his versatility and dedication to his craft, taking on a wide range of roles and exploring different genres and styles.
