Why Keanu Reeves’s Stardom Goes Beyond His Work, Thanks To What He Says And Does

It's not been two days since the much-awaited 'John Wick: Chapter 4' was released and the internet has blown up with clips related to anything that has to do with the film and its lead actor Keanu Reeves.

I'd once watched Keanu Reeves answer a common yet fascinating question, 'What happens when we die.' Reeves, who was at a talk show promoting his film, responded to the question after a small gasp, "I know that the ones who love us, will miss us." And that was it; I went on a binge-watching streak of several of his interviews, red-carpet appearances and promotional videos and there's always been a commonality of a kind of humility that stands as a rock on all occasions.

Well, the actor who donated about 70 percent of his Matrix earnings to cancer research, is also globally famous for the 'Keanussaince' he spreads with his thought-provoking actions off-screen.

The Star who goes above and beyond

Once a story about Keanu Reeves purchasing an ice cream cone he did not want just so he could autograph a 16-year-old fanboy's receipt went viral across social media. This opened the floodgates to people sharing several experiences they have personally shared with the actor which only shows how he is popularity goes beyond his work in films.

In addition to his performances in Toy Story 4 and John Wick: Chapter 3, Reeves was making headlines for everything behind the camera.

My favourite Reeves story, however, is the 'You're Breathtaking' one. When Reeves walked up the stage at a tech convention in 2019, he described a game's features to be 'breathtaking', following which an excited fan screamed, "You're breathtaking." Reeves, flattered by the compliment, responded, "No, you're breathtaking, you're all breathtaking," he pointed towards the audience. That was the moment that opened yet another social media chapter of a positive meme culture citing, 'You're Breathtaking.' This didn't stop there; a month later when he was on his way to a shoot, he came across a handmade sign reading 'You're Breathtaking' left by a fan for him on a lawn. The actor stopped midway, got down from the vehicle and returned the compliment in writing alongside a personal inscription.

Whether it was waiting in the rain to get into a party for his own movie's wrap party in order to not create a scene, or just patiently waiting in line in public to reach a counter, he won hearts across the world with his etiquette. Well, we'll all argue with 'aren't they basic manners?' Well, they are but how often do we see big movie stars standing in lines? How often do we see them not pulling rank?

The actor is also famous for accepting less capital for The Devil's Advocate so the production could afford Al Pacino. He has, in fact, several times made pay cuts on his own fee so the film's production could do better work and not worry about finances.

When an LA-bound plane was forced to land in California due to an emergency, Reeves not just helped fellow passengers calm down but also posed for photographs before arranging for transportation for all of them. On their way back in the Mini Bus, he shared facts about Bakersfield, California, and also played country music on his phone. A fellow traveller shared a video from the same day acknowledging Reeve's gesture.

The Matrix actor is also meme-worthy. A lot of his pictures taken off-guard were converted into memes which most people related with either an existential crisis or just blocking the noise and enjoying nothingness sitting on a bench. Well, memes aren't really a bad thing if they're relatable, are they?

Reeves is also a reader and, well, doesn't this information make everything better? A former bookstore worker earlier tweeted appreciating Reeves' mannerisms and love for book reading some time back. She wrote, "In the wake of all the Keanu appreciation, a reminder that Keanu used to come to the bookstore I used to work at, every Wednesday on his motorcycle to buy new fiction and sudoku puzzles and would always call 20 minutes in advance and I love him so much."

Well, apart from watching the latest franchise of John Wick: Chapter 4, I can't wait to be spammed with more Keanu Reeves content. Until then, let's watch him again give this heartwarming answer to what happens when we die.

Keanu Reeves John Wick 4

Reeves' latest film John Wick 4 hit the theatres on March 24 with some great reviews already pouring in. The Action/Neo-noir genre film starring Reeves, Asia Kate Dillon, Rina Sawayama, Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, and Bill Skarsgard among others.

Suggested reading: Keanu Reeves Spills Tea On Upcoming John Wick Spinoff Ballerina