Keanu Reeves , born on September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon, is a Canadian actor celebrated for his roles in comedy, science fiction, and action films. Reeves's mother was an English performer and costume designer, and his father was a Hawaiian geologist. His parents divorced when he was young, and he grew up with his mother. The family relocated to Sydney, New York City, and Toronto. He struggled academically, attending four high schools, including one focused on the arts, before dropping out to pursue acting. In 1984, he made his professional debut in an episode of the comedy series Hangin’ In . His early successes included Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) and Speed (1994). Later, he starred in the blockbuster franchises The Matrix and John Wick .

Where was Keanu Reeves born?

Keanu Reeves, the Canadian actor, was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 2, 1964. His mother was an English performer and costume designer, and his father was a Hawaiian geologist. Reeves's family relocated, and he spent his childhood in Sydney, New York City, and eventually Toronto. Reeves is known for his roles in comedy, science fiction, and action movies, such as Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Speed , and the blockbuster franchises The Matrix and John Wick .

What is Keanu Reeves known for as an actor?

Keanu Reeves , born in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 2, 1964, is a Canadian actor celebrated for his roles across comedy, science fiction, and action genres. Reeves gained prominence through Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and the action-packed Speed (1994). His career reached new heights with leading roles in blockbuster franchises such as The Matrix and John Wick . He played Neo in the sci-fi classic The Matrix (1999), which launched a successful franchise. In 2014, Reeves starred in John Wick , receiving praise for his performance as the antihero, which led to several sequels.

What are some famous movies starring Keanu Reeves?

Keanu Reeves, born in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 2, 1964, is a Canadian actor known for comedy, science fiction, and action roles. Reeves gained recognition early in his career with Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and Speed (1994). He achieved greater success starring in The Matrix (1999), which launched a successful franchise, and in the John Wick series (2014–2023). Other movies starring Keanu Reeves include The Devil's Advocate (1997), Constantine (2005), Something's Gotta Give (2003), and Always Be My Maybe (2019). In 2013, he directed and starred in Man of Tai Chi .

How has Keanu Reeves influenced the film industry?

Keanu Reeves, born in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 2, 1964, is a Canadian actor prominent in comedy, science fiction, and action movies. Reeves has significantly impacted the film industry through his roles in blockbuster franchises such as The Matrix and John Wick . His portrayal of Neo in The Matrix (1999) elevated him to stardom and launched a successful franchise, influencing science fiction cinema. His role in John Wick (2014) further solidified his status as an action star, praised for his performance as an antihero. In 2013, Reeves made his directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi .

Besides acting, what other interests or activities is Keanu Reeves involved in?

Keanu Reeves, born in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 2, 1964, is a Canadian actor known for his success in comedy, science fiction, and action movies Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) and Speed (1994). Besides acting, Reeves directed the film Man of Tai Chi (2013).

Keanu Reeves

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Images

Keanu Reeves in 2014, wearing a tan suit jacket, black shirt, and black tie, with a full beard and mustache, looking toward the camera.

Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity and Keanu Reeves as Neo, both in black leather outfits and sunglasses, stand together in a scene from the film The Matrix.

Keanu Reeves as Neo and Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith, both suspended in midair aiming guns at each other in a dramatic action scene from The Matrix.

Quick Facts

In full:: Keanu Charles Reeves

Born:: September 2, 1964, Beirut, Lebanon (age 62)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Night Heat" (1985); "Replicas" (2018); "One Step Away" (1985); "The Matrix Reloaded" (2003); "Dracula" (1992); "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (2008); "Disneyland" (1986); "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993); "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" (2019); "Hangin' In" (1984); "Hard Ball" (2001); "The Lake House" (2006); "Trying Times" (1987); "Keanu" (2016); "Me and Will" (1999); "Comedy Factory" (1985); "Constantine" (2005); "Action" (1999); "Flying" (1986); "The Replacements" (2000); "Point Break" (1991); "The Watcher" (2000); "Exposed" (2016); "To the Bone" (2017); "Henry's Crime" (2010); "Always Be My Maybe" (2019); "The Last Time I Committed Suicide" (1997); "Sweet November" (2001); "Swedish Dicks" (2016–2018); "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures" (1990); "Chain Reaction" (1996); "The Tracey Ullman Show" (1989); "Permanent Record" (1988); "Thumbsucker" (2005); "Between Two Ferns: The Movie" (2019); "The Night Before" (1988); "The Bad Batch" (2016); "Tune in Tomorrow..." (1990); "A Happening of Monumental Proportions" (2017); "Johnny Mnemonic" (1995); "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" (2009); "Providence" (1991); "The Gift" (2000); "Knock Knock" (2015); "John Wick" (2014); "Siberia" (2018); "Feeling Minnesota" (1996); "Generation Um..." (2012); "I Love You to Death" (1990); "The Prince of Pennsylvania" (1988); "47 Ronin" (2013); "American Playhouse" (1989); "Destination Wedding" (2018); "The Whole Truth" (2016); "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (1989); "Dangerous Liaisons" (1988); "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey" (1991); "The Devil's Advocate" (1997); "River's Edge" (1986); "Ellie Parker" (2005); "A Scanner Darkly" (2006); "Youngblood" (1986); "Something's Gotta Give" (2003); "John Wick: Chapter 2" (2017); "The Neon Demon" (2016); "Street Kings" (2008); "Little Buddha" (1993); "My Own Private Idaho" (1991); "The Matrix" (1999); "A Walk in the Clouds" (1995); "Man of Tai Chi" (2013); "Speed" (1994); "Toy Story 4" (2019); "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" (1993); "Easy to Assemble" (2009); "Interrogations Gone Wrong" (2015); "The Matrix Revolutions" (2003); "Parenthood" (1989)

Movies/Tv Shows (Directed):: "Man of Tai Chi" (2013)

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Keanu Reeves

Canadian actor

Also known as: Keanu Charles Reeves

Written by

Patricia Bauer

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 24, 2026 •History

News •

Keanu Reeves in Talks to Star in James Wan’s ‘The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil’ (Exclusive) • Oct. 20, 2026, 3:30 PM ET (The Hollywood Reporter)

Alan Mandell, Esteemed Actor and Interpreter of Samuel Beckett Plays, Dies at 98 • Oct. 14, 2026, 9:58 PM ET (The Hollywood Reporter)

Early life

Reeves’s mother was an English performer and costume designer, and his father was a Hawaiian geologist. They divorced when he was a young child, and he lived with his mother. The family moved first to Sydney, then to New York City, and finally to Toronto, where Reeves grew up. He struggled in school and attended four different high schools, one of which was focused on the arts, before leaving to pursue an acting career. His first professional appearance was in a 1984 episode of the comedy series Hangin’ In.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Point Break, and Speed

Following more roles in TV movies and shows, Reeves made his film debut as a hockey player in Youngblood (1986), set in the world of junior hockey in Canada. Later that year he gained notice for his portrayal of a disaffected teen in the bleak drama River’s Edge and as the son of an alcoholic father (Andy Griffith) in the TV movie Under the Influence. Reeves appeared in several movies over the next two years, most prominently Dangerous Liaisons (1988), before starring in the slacker comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), about two high-school students who time-travel for a history project. The movie was an unexpected and enduring hit. Later in 1989 Reeves also acted in Ron Howard’s Parenthood.

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Reeves starred in three movies in 1991, playing an FBI agent in Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break and a male prostitute in Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho, which also starred River Phoenix, and reprising the role of Ted in the sequel Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. He later appeared in Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing (1993). Reeves made several disappointing movies before playing a bomb expert in Speed (1994). The thriller was a blockbuster, and it made him an action star.

The Matrix and John Wick series

Reeves then appeared in a series of films that failed to connect with both critics and moviegoers. These included the science-fiction movie Johnny Mnemonic (1995), the romantic drama A Walk in the Clouds (1995), and the crime comedy Feeling Minnesota (1996). Somewhat more successful was The Devil’s Advocate (1997), in which he played a lawyer who falls under the spell of the Devil (Al Pacino). In 1999 Reeves reached a new level of stardom with his portrayal of Neo in the sci-fi cult classic The Matrix (1999). The blockbuster, which was also critically acclaimed, launched a hugely successful franchise that included two sequels (both 2003).

Continuing to pursue diverse roles, Reeves appeared in the sports movies The Replacements (2000) and Hardball (2001) before playing a supporting role in the romantic comedy Something’s Gotta Give (2003) and in the coming-of-age drama Thumbsucker (2005). He also starred as a demonologist in Constantine (2005) and a would-be bank robber in Henry’s Crime (2010). In 2013 he made his directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi (2013), about an underground martial-arts fight club; he also starred in the drama. Reeves then received praise for his performance as a classic antihero in the title role of John Wick (2014). The movie was a huge hit, and sequels followed (2017, 2019, and 2023).

Reeves’s later films include The Whole Truth (2016), To the Bone (2017), Destination Wedding (2018), and Always Be My Maybe (2019). In 2020 he returned to his first movie franchise, starring in the well-received Bill & Ted Face the Music. Reeves turned to another iconic series when he reprised the role of Neo in The Matrix Resurrections (2021). In 2025 Reeves again appeared as John Wick, in the spin-off From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas.

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Voice work

Reeves lent his voice to various projects, including the animated series Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures (1999) and the films Toy Story 4 (2019) and DC League of Super Pets (2022). In 2024 he voiced the villain Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Patricia Bauer The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Keanu Reeves

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Early life

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Point Break, and Speed

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The Matrix and John Wick series

Voice work