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Keanu Reeves at 56: the star of John Wick, The Matrix, Point Break and Speed talks about his love of motorcycles, keeping fit – and his fear of death

Keanu Reeves: “I would like to get to a place of peace with myself, without regrets.” Photo: Netflix

Keanu Reeves was once dubbed the sexiest man alive by People magazine (retroactively for the year 1994, some 21 years after the event, if you’re interested). On the eve of his 56th birthday, on September 2, the star of Point Break, Speed and The Matrix films shares how he has changed, his love of motorbikes and his secret to staying fit

Acting has always given me a structure and purpose in life and I’ve never found anything else to invest myself in
Keanu Reeves

Surf movie Point Break remains one of the milestones of his life

“I loved that film and how Kathryn Bigelow had this incredibly cool vision of the kind of world she wanted to create. There was this terrific pulp aspect to the story, about an FBI guy who learns to surf to catch the bad guys. That film portrayed surfing with so much beauty and the passion for riding waves.

“I’ve had so many people come up to me over the years who tell me how that film changed their lives and how they took up surfing or skydiving because of it. It reminds me of how much passion I have for motorcycles. I know exactly how they feel.”

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Keanu Reeves at the 59th Cannes Film Festival in 2006. Photo: Shutterstock

Did he mention he loves motorcycles?

“Bikes have been part of my life ever since I met this girl in Munich who was riding this incredible Kawasaki Enduro and I asked her if she could teach me to ride. Every break between shooting on the set I would take the bike out for a ride and I’ve loved the sense of speed and freedom it gives you.

“I haven’t stopped riding since and the first thing I did after returning to Los Angeles was to go out and buy a Norton Interceptor. I still have it in my garage.”

Keanu Reeves loves the freedom of motorcycles. Photo: Shutterstock

The acting job helps ground him

“Working a lot and constantly moving from one film set to another has been important in helping me overcome some of the more painful times in my life. Every film set gives me the feeling that I’m part of a new family and I feel fortunate to be able to have a job that gives me a lot of satisfaction. But I still work at finding more inner strength and wisdom and hopefully look towards the future with greater optimism.

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“I’ve always kept my distance from all the fame. I never lived my life as a function of what was said or written about me. I just love the way I’m still as interested in acting as I ever was. Acting has always given me a structure and purpose in life and I’ve never found anything else to invest myself in the way I do when I’m acting or working on films.”

 

Keanu goes digital – a screen shot from video game Cyberpunk 2077. Photo: handout

He maintains a level of fitness that prepares him for action movies

“I’ve had this fantastic personal trainer for the last 10 years who makes sure that I stay in shape and maintain my training regimen even when I’m not preparing for a film that requires a high level of fitness. He’s like John Wick when it comes to getting me to work out.

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“I feel fit and healthy but it’s a lot harder for me to execute some of the moves the way I would have 20 years ago or when I was doing The Matrix films. You also get very sore and stiff and you’re not anxious to keep doing take after take. But I would never let a stunt man do the work for me. I have to do it myself even if it’s painful sometimes.”

He’s happy being a loner

“I know there’s this impression of me out there but I’m not lonely. I don’t have a lot of close friends, but I like living quietly and being private. That’s the way I am and I have a lot of interesting projects going on that I’m very happy about.”

Keanu Reeves and girlfriend Alexandra Grant. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

How is he different from the Keanu Reeves of 20 years ago?

“Life experience, I would say. The passage of time has given me the wisdom to slow down and appreciate everything more. When you’re not in such a rush, you allow things to start to happen more slowly and you feel a deeper connection to your life.

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“I also have lots of fears. Perhaps the fear of death is the biggest one that gets into my head from time to time. When you turn 50 it’s time to maybe start thinking about it so you’re ready. I would like to get to a place of peace with myself, without regrets.”

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Once dubbed the sexiest man alive, Keanu Reeves is turning 56 on September 2 – here, in his own words, he looks back over his career