A Keanu Biography!!!

On September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon, Keanu Charles Reeves was born. Son of Patricia and Samuel Reeves, he was named after his great-great-uncle. "Keanu" (pronounced Key-ah-new) means "cool breeze over the mountains". Keanu's father, Samuel, was half Hawaiian and half Chinese. His mother was of English descent. As an infant, Keanu and the family moved to Australia for about a year, where his sister Kim Reeves was born in 1966. Samuel and Patricia divorced and she took the kids to New York City. Samuel returned to his native Hawaii, where Keanu would continue to visit his father until he was 13. That would be the last time the two would be destined to meet. (In 1994 Samuel was sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug possession. He was paroled in mid-1996.)

In New York Patricia met and wed Paul Aaron. The family moved to Toronto and took up Canadian citizenship (which Keanu still retains). Paul and Pat split up a less than year later. Patricia was destined to have many unsuccessful relationships: she was wed two more times, once to rock promoter Robert Miller (with whom she had Karina), and once with Jack Bond, who she divorced in 1994.

Keanu has described himself as a "...bourgeois, middle-class white boy with an absent father, a strong-willed mother, and two beautiful younger sisters."

The Road to Hollywood --

From kindergarten through eighth grade, Keanu attended Jesse Ketchum Public School in Toronto. As a teen, Keanu was enrolled in four different high schools, including De La Salle College and Toronto School for the Performing Arts (he still needs one credit to graduate). At 17 he dropped out completely to pursue acting.

Keanu was a jack of all trades, taking any job to support himself from audition to audition. First came sharpening skates at an ice rink (everyone knows he's a hockey fanatic). Then came jobs as a landscaper and a pasta maker (he managed the place to boot). Finally came some stage work, including his debut in the critically acclaimed Wolfboy in '84. There were also some bit parts and cameos on TV. His motion picture debut was 'Dream to Believe' in Canada. Keanu [reportedly] earned his SAG union card for 'Under the Influence' in '86.

In 1986, with just $3000, an ancient Volvo, and his step-father's address, Keanu set off for Hollywood. His manager thought Keanu sounded too exotic, but fans knew better. (How can something sound TOO exotic?) A few name changes were considered, such as K.C. Reeves, but they didn't last. Keanu Charles soon landed 'River's Edge', a serious teen drama. This lead to several roles as a teen misfit (no type-casting here). He soon caught the eyes of directors and producers, and starred in such films as 'Little Buddha', 'Bram Stroker's Dracula', 'Dangerous Liasons', and 'Much Ado About Nothing'. But it was Keanu's first big mega-hit, grossing over $300 million world-wide, that really caused people to stand up and take notice. 'Speed' was released in 1994 to rave reviews from critics and movie-goers alike. Following the release, Mr. Reeves reportedly was offered up to $7 million for his services. Having already filmed 'A Walk in the Clouds' and 'Johnny Mnemonic', these offers were turned down so K could pursue his own dream -- playing Hamlet in the Shakespearean tale of the same name in Canada.

Since then, Keanu has filmed several movies, including 'Chain Reaction', 'Feeling Minnesota', 'The Last Time I Committed Suicide', 'The Devil's Advocate' with Al Pacino, and, most recently, "The Matrix". Filming began for this sci-fi thriller in March of '98.

Spare Time --

In his spare time, Keanu loves ice hockey (he's a goalie), horseback riding, and ballroom dancing. He gets periodic scars from riding (or should I say crashing?) his 1974 Norton Combat Commando (that's a motorcycle). He's about 6'1", 175 pounds, and is afraid of the dark. He also loves surfing, and did all his own stunts in 'Point Break'. Another time-consuming activity is his self-described "folk-punk" band, Dogstar. He plays the bass right-handed (even though he's a lefty). They will soon be touring in New Zealand and Japan.