There’s more to Keanu Reeves than the characters he plays, and he’s got the fascinating life story to prove it. Here’s a look at just how the John Wick star went from a high school dropout to the captivating actor he is today.
Reeves is Canadian, but he was actually born in Beirut, Lebanon, where his mother, Patricia Taylor, a British costume designer and performer, met his father, Samuel Reeves. But his dad was essentially out of the picture by the time Reeves was a toddler. As a result, he basically went wherever his mom’s career took them. They lived in Sydney and New York City, and eventually, they settled down in Toronto.
Reeves definitely has a multicultural background. In addition to his travels, he was also exposed to Chinese and Hawaiian culture through his grandmother. He has also said that his mom taught him British mannerisms and passed down some of those customs and formal attitudes. His upbringing may have been unconventional, but he definitely became more cultured because of it.
Reeves’ mother was quite well-connected in her line of work. As a result, little Keanu met lots of celebrities when he was a kid. His mother worked for David Bowie, and he also remembers spending time with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton. Apparently, Alice Cooper even babysat for him.
It’s easy to see why Reeves became interested in acting at a young age, as an early exposure to so many celebrities surely made it seem like breaking into Hollywood wasn’t a far-fetched fantasy. If his mother could work her way up and connect with some of the biggest rock stars in the world, why couldn’t he achieve his own dreams?
Watch the video to see how Keanu Reeves really became a movie star!
#KeanuReeves #TheMatrix #BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure
Living all over the world | 0:11
Celebrity babysitters | 0:51
Expelled from high school | 1:37
The Wall on Ice | 2:22
Humble Canadian TV beginnings | 3:03
Dogstar Days | 3:38