Keanu Reeves, the Saddest Actor in the World

Nothing is conventional in the life and work of Keanu Reeves. Yes, he is a Hollywood star, but he belongs to a different constellation. The difference from the rest begins with his physique. Far from the predominant Anglo-Saxon standard in the film mecca, he has an exotic beauty derived from the multiethnic origins of his parents. Born in Beirut, his mother was English and his father, who abandoned the family when he was three years old, had Hawaiian and Chinese roots. His latest professional project reflects a uniqueness that is not limited only to origins, but also to professional appetites. At the end of this month, he will make his theatrical debut in a version of Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot' where he will take on the role of the beggar Estragon. No, it is not usual for a movie star to embark on a seemingly minor project that is a complete 'tour de force' in acting.

That young man with an 'outsider' look is today a mature and lean man who recalls the slender figures of El Greco. Thirty-five years have passed since his name gained international credit and projection. It happened with 'My Own Private Idaho', the famous film by Gus Van Zandt, in which he starred alongside the late River Phoenix. Both portrayed individuals outside the system and, in some way, also demonstrated being outside the conventions of show business and the rules that determine ascension on the big screen.

This success and the subsequent one in Francis Ford Coppola's version of Dracula seemed to presage a meteoric career similar to that of Leonardo DiCaprio, for example. The young man seasoned in teen cinema and advertising reached maturity and other creative challenges, supported by his undeniable magnetism. The culmination of this process was his role in 'Speed', a blockbuster where, for the first time, he took the lead as an action hero. But it did not continue that way. The actor refused to participate in the sequel, which could have cemented his appeal to the masses, and instead chose to perform in a stage production of Hamlet in a small Canadian town.

This attitude, a certain unpredictability, has characterized Reeves. The rebellious young man who never finished his secondary education had begun, supported by his stepfather, film director Paul Aaron, a dizzying film career. In some way, that credit allowed him an uninterrupted trajectory in prestigious films, though lacking major box office phenomena with a few exceptions like 'The Devil's Advocate' alongside Al Pacino and Charlize Theron.

An unexpected turn changed the course. 'The Matrix' interrupted what seemed to be a somewhat erratic career. The saga by the Wachowski siblings revolutionized science fiction and brought substantial changes in the realm of visual effects. The role of Neo, developed over four episodes, broke that irregular line and definitively elevated him. In reality, he was not the first candidate for the role and only the withdrawal of Will Smith and Nicholas Cage, who were ahead of him in the interest of the promoters, allowed him to become the enigmatic figure dressed in strict black.

Joy never seems complete for this exponent of multiculturalism. Professional fulfillment came accompanied by personal drama. At the end of 1999, Jennifer Syme, his girlfriend, gave birth to a stillborn girl and, just over a year later, she herself died in a car accident. This tragedy has been used to explain his introverted character, his reluctance to talk about his private life, and even his preference for roles of solitary and melancholic individuals, generally at odds with their environment, which he has chosen over the last few years. This preference would explain his involvement in the 'John Wick' saga, the other project that has managed to capitalize on his image of a misanthropic and tortured individual.

Rock and Poetry

But Keanu Reeves is more than an actor. Since the nineties, and parallel to his work in cinema, he has participated in the band Dogstar, an alternative rock combo, with which he has even performed at the Glastonbury festival. Additionally, he has ventured into literature and has published the poetry collection 'Ode to Happiness', a very significant title, the graphic novel 'BRZRKR' and 'The Book from Elsewhere'. The publication of the first project allowed him to meet visual artist Alexandra Grant, his current partner. He is also a motorcycle enthusiast and has launched the company Arch Motorcycle, which manufactures custom vehicles.

The man who everyone assumes is perpetually gloomy became a meme when in 2010 he was photographed alone, eating a sandwich sitting on a bench in New York. Since then, in every interview, he has tried, without much conviction, to deny that apparent taciturn and reserved character. He always claims he is not ambitious because he already has sufficient resources, and in this respect, he is accompanied by a certain aura of generosity with his work teams which also extends to NGO projects such as those dedicated to the fight against cancer.

The star will share the stage of the Hudson Theater with actor Alex Winter from September 28 to January 4. The Broadway atmosphere will be a brief interlude in a career that includes a movie with Sandra Bullock, his partner in 'Speed', and the film adaptation of his own comic. For a few months, this small-format drama that questions us about the absurdity of existence will be his daily purpose. Perhaps, we will encounter the most authentic Keanu Reeves, the grieving artist who seems to amalgamate resplendent success and intimate darkness.