Keanu Charles Reeves  is a Canadian actor, born September 2, 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon, and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is well known for playing Neo in the action film trilogy The Matrix. He is also well known for playing Ted in the teen comedy films Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. Other notable roles include Scott Favor in the drama My Own Private Idaho alongside River Phoenix, Kevin Lomax in the supernatural thriller The Devil's Advocate, and starring roles in the action films Speed and Constantine. He has played bass guitar in the grunge band Dogstar during the 1990s, and more recently in the band Becky. In an ETonline survey in 2006, he is in "Top Ten of America's Favorite Stars".

Reeves was born to Patricia Taylor, an English showgirl and costume designer who was working in Beirut when she met Reeves' father (Samuel Nowlin Reeves, Jr., born 1942) at a local nightclub. His father was born in Hawaii, the son of Charles Reeves, an Irish American from Tennessee, and Rose Miguel of Portuguese, Chinese and Hawaiian ancestry. Reeves' father worked as an unskilled laborer and earned his GED while imprisoned in Hawaii for selling heroin at the Hilo airport. Reeves does not currently have any relationship with his biological father.

Reeves has one full sister named Kim (born 1966 in Beirut). Kim was diagnosed with leukemia in December 2002. Reeves visits her often at the home he purchased for her on the island of Capri, Italy. Through his mother he has a half-sister named Karina Miller (born 1976 in Toronto). Through his father he has a half-sister named Emma Reeves (born 1980 in Hawaii).

Reeves' parents divorced in 1966. In 1969, his mother moved to New York City with her children where she met and married Paul Aaron, a Broadway and Hollywood director. The couple then moved to Toronto but would divorce in 1971. Reeves' mother was later married to Robert Miller (between 1976 and 1980). Subsequently, Reeves grew up primarily in Toronto and worked at a pasta restaurant, sharpened skates at an ice rink, and was voted MVP on his high school ice hockey team (De La Salle College "Oaklands").

Within a span of five years, Reeves attended four different high schools, including the Etobicoke School of the Arts, from which he was later expelled. Reeves began his acting career at the age of 15, appearing in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet at the Leah Posluns Theatre. After leaving De La Salle College "Oaklands", a Roman Catholic boys' high school where he played ice hockey, he attended a free school, which allowed him to obtain an education while working as an actor; he later dropped out, never obtaining his high school diploma.

His first studio movie appearance was in the Rob Lowe ice hockey film Youngblood, which was filmed in Canada. In it, he played an ice hockey goalie. Shortly after the movie's release, Reeves drove from Toronto to Los Angeles in his 1969 Volvo. His ex-stepfather Paul Aaron, a stage and television director, gave him a place to stay and got him Erwin Stoff as a manager and agent before he even arrived in Los Angeles.

After a few minor roles, he gained the notice of the critics in 1986's River's Edge, a teenage drama that received positive reviews. Following the film's success, he spent the late 1980s appearing in a number of movies aimed at teenage audiences, including Permanent Record, a dark film about teenage suicide, and the successful 1989 comedy, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, which (along with its 1991 sequel, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey) typecast Reeves somewhat during the next few years, as much of his subsequent portrayal in the press has been influenced by his portrayal of the comically airheaded character, Ted. Reeves was originally offered the role of Pvt. Chris Taylor in Platoon (1986) but turned it down as he disliked the violence involved; the role went to Charlie Sheen.^{[citation needed]} At the same time, Reeves also played a notable role in the Oscar-winning film Dangerous Liaisons.

During the early 1990s, Reeves appeared in high-budget action films like Point Break and lower-budget independent films, including the well-received 1991 film, My Own Private Idaho, and the critically panned 1994 film, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.

In 1992, Reeves starred in Bram Stoker's Dracula, which was a box office success. However, his acting was criticized by many, and director Francis Ford Coppola claims that Reeves was only cast because he wanted a male character that teenagers could look up to. In 1994, Reeves also starred in the action film Speed. His casting in the film was questioned since previously he'd mostly been known for comedies and had never been the sole headliner on a film. The summer action film had a fairly large budget and was helmed by novice cinematographer-turner-director Jan De Bont. The success of the film invoked a similiar situation for studio Twentieth Century Fox with Die Hard (a large summer action film with a lead mostly known for comedies). It's commercial success and raised his profile, leading to his casting in films like Johnny Mnemonic and Chain Reaction, both of which failed at the box office.

His 1999 science fiction hit, The Matrix, re-established him as a Hollywood leading man after a few years of films that received only moderate box office success and mixed critical reception.

In between the first Matrix film and its sequels, Reeves appeared in several films that received mostly negative reviews and average box office grosses, including The Watcher, Sweet November and Hardball. However, the two Matrix sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions co-starring Carrie-Anne Moss, as well as his supporting role in the 2003 movie, Something's Gotta Give, co-starring Jack Nicholson and his 2005 horror-action film, Constantine, proved to be box office successes and brought Reeves back into the public spotlight. Movie producer Lauren Shuler Donner stated in a November 18-19, 2006 interview that writers are currently developing a script for Constantine 2. She claims that Keanu Reeves is willing to reprise his role as John Constantine.

On January 31, 2005, Reeves received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Reeves accompanied former Speed costar Sandra Bullock to the 2006 Academy Awards. This caused some controversy, as Bullock is married to motorcycle builder Jesse James. It was later revealed to be a publicity stunt to coincide with the release of their romantic film The Lake House.

His latest film, A Scanner Darkly, based on the science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick, co-stars Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., and Woody Harrelson. It was released on July 7, 2006.

On November 3, 2006, he co-hosted, with Alanis Morissette, the premiere of the environmentalist documentary The Great Warming.

In December 1999, Reeves' girlfriend, Jennifer Syme, gave birth to a stillborn daughter who was named Ava Archer Syme-Reeves. In April 2001, Syme was killed in a car accident. She was buried next to their daughter in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. Reeves was a pallbearer at Syme's funeral.

For nearly a decade following his initial rise to stardom, Reeves lived a vagabond existence in hotels, opting not to buy a house or find a permanent place of residence, despite earning millions. Reeves has lived in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles since 2003, but also has an apartment in New York City. Although it is commonly assumed that he believes in Buddhism because he studied the religion while filming The Little Buddha, he said: "I wasn't raised in any special denominations and I haven't taken on any so far." After Syme's death, he said he doesn't believe that things happen "for a reason."

Reeves is fond of chess, motorcycles, ice hockey, and table tennis. He is left-handed, but plays the bass guitar right-handed and loves punk rock bands such as The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, and The Clash, he also has a taste for Indie Rock citing to be a fan of They Might Be Giants and Crooked Fingers, as well as Mary J Blige and RnB legends Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding

In a 1992 New Year's Eve party show, Reeves filled in on bass for punk rock band The Vandals while bassist Joe Escalante was at a wedding. He began playing the bass with rock band Dogstar, which has now gone "into hibernation." Reeves also had a part in New York thrash metal band Anthrax's "Safe Home" music video. More recently, he played bass in a band called Becky with former Dogstar drummer Rob Mailhouse, guitarist Paulie Kosta and singer Rebecca Lord. In early 2005, he announced that he was leaving the band and his musical career for good.

 Reeves is reported to be very generous with his time and money, lending both to a variety of causes. He took a significant amount of the profits from his Matrix series and treated the 12 stuntmen who worked on the films to Harley Davidson motorcycles, among other things. 

Keanu Quotes

Keanu: "My name can't be *that* tough to pronounce.

Keanu: "When I don't feel free and can't do what I want I just react. I go against it."

Keanu: When told, "You'll just have to bite the bullet", his reply was, "Yes, but I don't have to eat the whole rifle."

Keanu: "I'm a meathead man. You've got smart people, and you've got dumb people. I just happen to be dumb."

Keanu: "My name can't be *that* tough to pronounce."

Keanu: "When I don't feel free and can't do what I want I just react. I go against it."

Keanu: When told, "You'll just have to bite the bullet", his reply was, "Yes, but I don't have to eat the whole rifle."

Keanu: "I'm a meathead man. You've got smart people, and you've got dumb people. I just happen to be dumb."

Keanu "I just felt that if I went into Speed 2, I just... wouldn't have come up out of the water."
 

Keanu "I like writing songs. I like the camarderie of the and. I like touring. I love playing bass. And then there's free beer."
 

Keanu "I'm a meathead. I can't help it, man. You've got smart people and you've got dumb people."
 

Keanu "On a good night, I get underwear, bras, and hotel-room keys thrown onstage... You start to think that you're Tom Jones."
 

Keanu "The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way."

 Interesting Facts

• His first name, Keanu, is pronounced key-an-noo.
• 1995- Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#17).
• Loves Ballroom dancing.
• Was nicknamed "the wall" by high school hockey team (La Salle).
• Had job sharpening ice skates.
• When trying out for the parts of Bill and Ted, each actor was paired up with another. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter were paired up, Reeves trying out for the part of Bill while Winter tried out for the part of Ted. They were cast opposite what they auditioned for.
• Arrested in Los Angeles; charged with drunk driving. [May 1993]
• Loves ballroom dancing.
• He owns at least two Norton Commando motorcycles whose engines were available in both 750cc and 850cc capacities, the high-compression version being the Combat Commando.
• Sister, Kim (born in Australia in 1966). Through his mother he has a half-sister named Karina Miller (born 1976 in Toronto). Through his father he has a half-sister named Emma Reeves (born 1980 in Hawaii).
• Named after his uncle Henry Keanu Reeves. "Keanu" is a derivation of Reeves' great-great-uncle Keaweaheulu, whose name means "the soft breeze raising" in Hawaiian.
• Stepson of film and stage director Paul Aaron.
• Had job sharpening ice skates.
• Was nicknamed "the wall" by high school hockey team De La Salle College "Oaklands".
• Was manager of a pasta shop in Toronto.
• He loves to play ice hockey (goalie position).
• His father was a geologist who served time in prison. He was paroled after serving two years of a ten-year sentence for selling heroin at Hilo Airport in 1992.
• His mother, Patricia Taylor, was a costume designer for rock stars such as Alice Cooper.
• His 1974 motorcycle is among his most prized possessions.
• His name means "cool breeze over the mountains" in Hawaiian.
• In Hawaiian, "ke" means "the" and "anu" means "cool or coolness"; hence "the coolness" or (very) interpretively, "the cool winds over the mountain."
• Dropped out of high school when he was 17 to become an actor.
• Hobbies include horseback riding and surfing (both inspired from movie roles).
• Was MVP on his high school hockey team, where he was a goalie.
• Keanu got his abdominal scar from a motorcycle wreck in Topanga Canyon. He was on a "demon ride" (no headlights at night) when he crashed into the side of a mountain. He was hospitalized for a week with broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. When the paramedics came to get him, an emergency medical technician trainee picked up one end of the stretcher ... then dropped it by mistake! "It made me laugh, but I couldn't breathe!"
• When trying out for the parts of Bill and Ted in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), each actor was paired up with another. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter were paired up, Reeves trying out for the part of Bill while Winter tried out for the part of Ted. They were cast opposite what they auditioned for.
• His first name, Keanu, is pronounced "kay-ah-new".
• Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#17). [1995]
• In November 1999, the baby girl he was expecting with girlfriend Jennifer Syme was stillborn, just a few weeks shy of the actual delivery date. They had planned to name her Ava Archer Syme-Reeves.
• His estranged girlfriend Jennifer Syme was killed when her Jeep Cherokee careered onto the wrong side of a Los Angeles road near Highway 101 and smashed into three parked cars. The force of the crash flipped the car over and she was thrown through the windshield. She was killed instantly. [2 April 2001]
• Maintains Canadian citizenship and passport.
• Has appeared in three films whose title contains a US state: Feeling Minnesota (1996), My Own Private Idaho (1991) and The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988) and his character in Point Break (1991) was named John Utah.
• Was set to reprise his role as Jack Traven in the sequel to Speed (1994/I)--Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)--but dropped out.
• Deferred part of his salary on The Replacements (2000) so Gene Hackman could be cast.
• Keanu resides in Toronto, Canada where he grew up.
• Learned over 200 martial arts moves for The Matrix Reloaded (2003).
• Musically Keanu is currently playing (bass) in "Becky" - also featuring Robert Mailhouse (drums), Paulie Kosta (guitar) and Rebecca Lord (vocals).
• Was originally offered the role of Pvt. Chris Taylor in Platoon (1986). Keanu turned it down and the role went to Charlie Sheen.
• Was originally cast as Chris Shiherlis in Heat (1995) but later backed out of the project, and the part went to Val Kilmer.
• He went to high school at North Toronto, where his drama teacher was Paul Robert. Mr. Robert then moved to teach at Northern Secondary as a drama teacher, but recently left. He pops in as a substitute teacher now and again, but lives freely in the wilderness otherwise.
• Shares a birthday with actress Salma Hayek, heavyweight boxer Lennox Lewis and NFL Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson.
• Frequently plays man either strapped or sitting in a chair while some type of procedure is performed on him. All three Matrix films, Johnny Mnemonic (1995), Feeling Minnesota (1996), Dracula (1992) and Constantine (2005).
• Although left-handed, plays bass with his right.
• 31st January 2005: Honoured with a Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
• Read the script of Constantine (2005) while filming The Matrix Revolutions (2003).
• His first theater work was with Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Massachusetts in "The Tempest."
• He learned to surf for his role in Point Break (1991)
• Is very good friends with his Bill & Ted co-star, Alex Winter and has remained in contact with him. Keanu has also contributed cameo appearances and helped with a number of Winter's film projects.
• His best friend is his sister.
• He has recently left the band "Becky" with former "Dogstar" band mate Robert Mailhouse, due to scheduling conflicts.
• Auditioned for the Etobicoke School of the Arts in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; but was rejected.
• His parents names are Patricia Taylor and Samuel Nowlin Reeves.
• Replaced Val Kilmer as "Johnny Mnemonic" in Johnny Mnemonic (1995) when Kilmer left the project upon being offered the role of "Batman" in Batman Forever (1995). Ironically, Kilmer later replaced Reeves as "Chris Siherlis" in Heat (1995).
• His best friend was actor River Phoenix.
• His parents married in Hawaii and divorced in 1966. His mother later remarried Paul Aaron (divorced in 1971) and Robert Miller (between 1976 and 1980).
• The character of Jimbo Jones on "The Simpsons" (1989) is based on his character from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989).

• The Night Watchman (2008) (filming) 
•  The Lake House (2006) .... Alex Wyler
• A Scanner Darkly (2006) .... Bob Arctor
• Constantine (2005) .... John Constantine
  ... aka Constantine (Germany) 
•  Thumbsucker (2005) .... Perry Lyman
• Video Hits: Paula Abdul (2005) (V) .... The Boy (segment "Rush, Rush")
• Ellie Parker (2005) .... Dogstar
• Something's Gotta Give (2003) .... Dr. Julian Mercer
• The Matrix Revolutions (2003) .... Neo
  ... aka The Matrix Revolutions: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version (promotional title))
• Kid's Story (2003) (voice) .... Neo
  ... aka The Animatrix: Kid's Story (USA: series title) 
• Enter the Matrix (2003) (VG) .... Neo
• The Matrix Reloaded (2003) .... Neo
  ... aka The Matrix Reloaded: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version (promotional title))
• The Animatrix (2003) (V) (voice) .... Neo (segment "Kid's Story")
• Hard Ball (2001) .... Conor O'Neill
  ... aka Hardball (Germany) (USA: alternative spelling)
• Sweet November (2001) .... Nelson Moss
• The Gift (2000) .... Donnie Barksdale
• The Watcher (2000/I) .... David Allen Griffin
• The Replacements (2000) .... Shane Falco
• Me and Will (1999) .... Dogstar/Himself
• The Matrix (1999) .... Neo
• The Devil's Advocate (1997) .... Kevin Lomax
  ... aka Devil's Advocate (USA: DVD box title)
  ... aka Im Auftrag des Teufels (Germany)
• The Last Time I Committed Suicide (1997) .... Harry
• Feeling Minnesota (1996) .... Jjaks Clayton
• Chain Reaction (1996) .... Eddie Kasalivich
• A Walk in the Clouds (1995) .... Paul Sutton
  ... aka Caminando por las nubes (Mexico)
  ... aka Paseo por las nubes, Un (Mexico)
• Johnny Mnemonic (1995) .... Johnny Mnemonic
  ... aka Fugitivo del futuro (USA: Spanish title: TV title)
  ... aka Johnny Mnémonique (Canada: French title)
• Speed (1994/I) .... Officer Jack Traven
• Little Buddha (1993) .... Siddhartha
  ... aka Little Buddha (France)
• Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993) .... Julian Gitche
• Freaked (1993) (uncredited) .... Ortiz the Dog Boy
  ... aka Hideous Mutant Freekz 
•  Much Ado About Nothing (1993) .... Don John
• Dracula (1992) .... Jonathan Harker
  ... aka Bram Stoker's Dracula (USA: complete title)
• My Own Private Idaho (1991) .... Scott Favor
• Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) .... Ted Logan/Evil Ted
• Point Break (1991) .... FBI Special Agent John 'Johnny' Utah
• Captivated '92: The Video Collection (1991) (V) .... Jim (segment "Rush, Rush")
• Providence (1991) .... Eric
• Tune in Tomorrow... (1990) .... Martin Loader
  ... aka Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter
• "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures" (1990) TV Series .... Ted Logan (unknown episodes)
• I Love You to Death (1990) .... Marlon James
•  "The Tracey Ullman Show" .... Jesse Walker (1 episode, 1989)
      - Two Lost Souls (1989) TV Episode .... Jesse Walker 
•  Parenthood (1989) .... Tod Higgins 
•  Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) .... Ted Logan
• Life Under Water (1989) (TV) .... Kip
• Dangerous Liaisons (1988) .... Le Chevalier Raphael Danceny
• The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988) .... Rupert Marshetta
• Permanent Record (1988) .... Chris Townsend
• The Night Before (1988) .... Winston Connelly 
•  "Trying Times" .... Joey (1 episode, 1987)
      - Moving Day (1987) TV Episode .... Joey
• Babes in Toyland (1986) (TV) .... Jack/Jack-be-Nimble 
•  Under the Influence (1986) (TV) .... Eddie Talbot
• River's Edge (1986) .... Matt
• Young Again (1986) (TV) (as K.C. Reeves) .... Michael Riley, Age 17
• Act of Vengeance (1986) (TV) (as Keannu Reeves) .... Buddy Martin
• Youngblood (1986) .... Heaver
• Brotherhood of Justice (1986) (TV) .... Derek
• Flying (1986) .... Tommy
  ... aka Dream to Believe
  ... aka Teenage Dream (video title) 
•  One Step Away (1985) .... Ron Petrie
• "Comedy Factory" .... Crackers (1 episode, 1985)
      - Fast Food (1985) TV Episode .... Crackers
• Letting Go (1985) (TV) .... Stereo Teen #1
• "Night Heat" .... Mugger / ... (2 episodes, 1985)
      - Necessary Force (1985) TV Episode .... Thug #1
      - Crossfire (1985) TV Episode .... Mugger