Interview

Keanu Reeves:
The Saint

A journalist from the ‘New Yorker’ once wrote that Keanu Reeves was ‘too good for this world’. Honestly? Could be true. Today he celebrates his 60th birthday. We congratulate him.

  • Interview
    Rüdiger Sturm
  • Fotos
    Nathaniel Goldberg / Trunk Archive

Keanu Reeves is the nicest person in Hollywood. He donates to the homeless, passes on part of his earnings to the crew, and gives his seat to elderly ladies on the subway. As if that wasn’t enough, he is also a model of modesty. And that’s not just a role he plays. In our interview, the fifty-eight-year-old is polite, reserved and thoughtful. This makes him come across as tremendously likeable and, of course, contributes to his legend. Though we should add that Reeves is not the type of person to spontaneously buy you a drink at the bar. He keeps a certain distance – a hint of mystery, you could say. But this mystique, which is also reflected in his at times elusive answers, is part of the whole Keanu Reeves phenomenon.

Your big-screen career began forty years ago. You have left your mark on franchises like Matrix and John Wick. How would you explain what your job is all about?

A key part of the creative act is that you hope to go places that are not only your own. And you collaborate with someone else, whether it’s the director or the other actors. There is an otherness that can be quite pleasurable. You get to play a role, be yourself, and create this other thing. And hopefully you are in a context of storytelling that will entertain.

When you go to these other places, as you say, can that also be frightening?

It can be. Especially in the beginning, when you are developing the role and getting into it, when it’s looming in front of you. Then you ask yourself: Can I reach those heights? But once you are into it, you trust it. You put yourself in the position of another. And then you open up to it.

If you want to leave the boundaries of your self, you have to know where those boundaries are. How do you get to know yourself?

That’s a good question. I’ve tried several different techniques that can help with this. You have to try to objectively understand your feelings and how you react to certain experiences. Then you begin to understand about suffering, the nature of suffering, the impermanence of suffering. 

You reflect on the reason for your actions and desires so you can influence them. That also includes trying to understand other people. Part of my job is observation. But you also need life experience. You can’t have one without the other. You have to pay attention to what you see and put it into your chest of resources that you can draw upon. That has helped me to open up. It was like doing therapy, in a way.

"You have to try to objectively understand your feelings and how you react to certain experiences. Then you begin to understand about suffering, the nature of suffering, the impermanence of suffering."
Keanu Reeves
Was it a difficult process?

It is anything but simple, because you can never see the whole picture. What I mean is, you can only get so far ahead of yourself and can never get completely away. And then you get into this conundrum of can you even be objective? Is there even such a thing as free will? That’s all pretty complex and I’m not sure I’m making any sense. It’s a bit like plowing snow. You can only see so far ahead of you.

Do you also philosophize like this with your friends?

I do have a couple of friends that I have conversations like that with. But not every day. Of course, we also talk about other things. I’ve got a couple of friends who are pretty politically oriented, so we often talk about the nature of America. Other friends are more socially interested, and we talk about philanthropy, education, awareness. Most of the stuff I talk about, however, is work and film.

You’re currently in a long-term relationship with the artist Alexandra Grant. What do you need for a harmonious partnership?

Commitment. Relationships take commitment, and that has to come from a place of caring and interest. This is true for any relationship, including friendships. I feel fortunate to have those kinds of relationships, friendships that become family. I enjoy that. It’s like that in acting, too. You have to be willing to engage with others. And the longer you do that and the more experience you gain, the more likely you are to bridge the differences. The relationship with that other person then transforms into something new – and when you feel that, it’s the purest joy.

"Is there even such a thing as free will? That’s all pretty complex and I’m not sure I’m making any sense. It’s a bit like plowing snow. You can only see so far ahead of you."
Keanu Reeves
Can you elaborate on that?

It’s a feeling of intimacy. It’s being able to give and receive and share. That is extremely powerful.

Is there anything that women have that men don’t?

You can’t generalize. It’s never made any difference to me whether I work with men or women. I always base my work on the personality of the individual, and that is always different. Women are generally considered to be more ( … )

→ Read the entire interview in rampstyle #29.

Rüdiger Sturm

Rüdiger Sturm

Freelance Author
Rüdiger Sturm is a film critic living in Munich. As a film journalist, he researches the industry at home and abroad - and talks to Hollywood stars as well as all other interesting personalities.
rampstyle #29 All Summer Long

rampstyle #29 All Summer Long

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