Keanu Reeves Shares His Intensely Heartfelt Views On Love Of Acting
Keanu Reeves recently shared thoughts about his love of acting and it's easy to why he's had such a successful run in Hollywood.
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To say that Keanu Reeves has had an improbable career is likely an understatement. Sure, he’s one of the true action stars of our generation now, though there was a time when that definitely didn’t seem like it would be the case. But when you hear him talk about the craft of acting and what brought him to the profession, it’s clear to see why it’s been such a fantastic run for the actor. Recently, Keanu Reeves gave some insight on what drew him to acting and why the profession was such a good fit for his personality.
While on The Drew Barrymore Show, Keanu Reeves talked about his career, his latest movie and let on about what makes acting so special to him. The thoughtful response is just another example of Reeves cutting through what can seem like a thicker veneer. It really sheds light on his process and why acting is so special to him.
During the interview, Barrymore asks Keanu Reeves when was a time he felt “free” and the latter takes a beat before answering. He says there are a few examples, but he decides to relate it back to acting. His answer is profound and pretty beautiful. This is clearly a guy who has thought quite a bit about his craft from both a micro and macro level, exploring the meaning of acting while also seeing why he’s so drawn to the experience. Check out what Keanu Reeves had to say:
“Acting. My mom says I declared I wanted to be an actor when I was 15 and why would that person ask or say that. I recall when acting in school or doing Shakespeare – that sense of being free was play. It was fun. Make believe, but reality, connection, a group, collaboration… it’s shared. You commune, you tell a story. I love stories. Stories help us contextualize the world. I love what happens after someone says action.”
When you hear the sensitivity and thought Keanu Reeves brings to the craft of acting, it’s easy to see why he’s been so successful and why others in Hollywood want to work with him. He appears an easily likable dude, heartfelt, and able to get personal even in staged settings without it coming across as fake or ham-fisted. His dedication to understanding why acting is such a singular enterprise while being wrapped up in to a larger group and societal dynamic definitely demonstrates his sense of gravitas around the endeavor.
And it’s just one of the reasons Keanu Reeves has been so successful. Heck, his latest film returns him to one of the biggest franchises ever, setting us back into the simulation with The Matrix Resurrections. The movie is currently in theaters and on HBO Max, rebooting the franchise that shifted the scope of science fiction flicks a couple of decades ago. The movie holds up as part of the franchise, flipping the narrative and feeling just enough to be “updated” for our current timeline.
It’s not the only thing Keanu Reeves has been working on either. He’s set to reprise his starring role in the John Wick franchise as well. There are a couple of more movies planned in that world that should wrap up the titular character’s storyline. But it’s been such a success that a prequel movie is planned to add more background to the world. It’s a testament to Keanu Reeves and his care around the craft that he’s taken a contract killer and actually given the dude some heart. When you hear the above quotes, it makes a ton of sense.
