Reeves broke out in the late '80s as the now iconic Ted Theodore Logan in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (1989) before "Point Break" (1991) and "Speed" (1994) made the actor a bonafide action star -- and that was all before he became Neo in "The Matrix" trilogy. In the past few years, Reeves has also found success behind the camera, directing the martial arts film "Man of Tai Chi" (2013), while still holding onto his indie roots. This fall, Reeves is back playing a legendary hitman out for revenge in the blood action film "John Wick."
From hanging out with the Red Hot Chili Peppers to his days as K.C. Reeves, here are 33 things you probably don't know about Keanu Reeves.
1. Keanu Reeves was born September 2, 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon to Patricia Taylor and Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr.
2. His mother is an English-born costume designer, while his father is a Hawaiian-born American with predominately Native Hawaiian and Chinese ancestry. Reeves's mother was working in Beirut when she met his father.
3. Reeves's parents divorced when he was only three years old and he moved to Sydney, Australia with his mother before arriving in New York.
4. In New York, his mother married Paul Aaron, a theater and film director, and the couple moved to Toronto before divorcing in 1971.
5. Reeves was finally able to settle down in Toronto, though, and he identifies as Canadian to this day.
6. Although he was settled in Toronto, the actor was still had a knack for bouncing around. Reeves attended four high schools in a span of five years and even got expelled once. On the expulsion, Reeves said: "I was just a little too rambunctious and shot my mouth off once too often. I was not generally the most well-oiled machine in the school. I was just getting in their way, I guess."
7. While he may have been suffering in the classroom, Reeves found success on the ice as a hockey goalie. He even earned the nickname "The Wall."
8. Eventually, when he was about 17 or 18, Reeves decided he wanted to pursue acting professionally. The teenager dropped out of high school, never earning a high school diploma, and pursued his dream.
9. Shortly after, Reeves landed the lead role in a Coca-Cola commercial as a cyclist.
10. Reeves was also a correspondent for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation youth program "Going Great" while he was cutting his teeth as an actor.
11. Reeves's first role ever came at the age of 9 in a theater production of "Damn Yankees."
12. But, in 1984, he made his TV debut in an episode of the TV series "Hangin' In."
13. Two years later, Reeves landed his first major studio role in the hockey movie "Youngblood" (1986) as a Canadian goalie, no less.
14. The actor was sometimes credited as K.C. Reeves because his representation thought Keanu sounded too exotic.
15. After the movie's release, the future star drove his 1969 Volvo out to Los Angeles where he was linked up with a manager and agent, Erwin Stoff, arranged by his ex-stepfather Paul Aaron. Stoff has remained Reeves's manager throughout his career.
16. The actor found steady work immediately, most notably in 1986's "River's Edge," but his big break came as the now iconic Ted 'Theodore' Logan in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (1989).
17. 1991 was the year of Keanu. He reprised his role as Ted in "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey," starred in the big-budget, bank robbery movie "Point Break," and found indie success in Gus Van Sant's "My Own Private Idaho," opposite the late River Phoenix.
18. Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis could be seen as a gun-toting rebel surfer in "Point Break." Strangely enough, Reeves co-starred with the RHCP's bassist, Flea, in "My Own Private Idaho," released only a few months later.
19. Flea and Reeves even lived in director Gus Van Sant's house together (with River Phoenix) and would jam out at night.
20. In 1991, Reeves began playing bass guitar for the grunge band Dogstar. The band is no longer together, however, music has remained a huge part of his life.
21. Reeves also performed in the band Becky for a year in the early 2000s.
22. In 1994, the actor was controversially cast in the blockbuster hit "Speed." Up to that time, Reeves was known for comedies and indie dramas -- "Point Break" being the exception. The international success of "Speed," however, made Reeves (and his co-star, Sandra Bullock) A-list stars.
23. Still, Reeves often preferred his eclectic roles and turned down a huge paycheck for "Speed 2: Cruise Control" in favor of touring with his band and starring in a production of "Hamlet."
24. The Sunday Times theater critic, Roger Lewis, lauded the young actor's performance and wrote: "He is one of the top three Hamlets I have seen, for a simple reason: he is Hamlet."
25. And then... "The Matrix" happened. The 1999 science fiction-action film was an international success that spawned two sequels and cemented Reeves as an A-list actor and action star.
26. He reportedly gave $80 million of his $114 million earnings for his work on "The Matrix" sequels to the special effects and makeup staff.
27. Between the first and second "Matrix" films, Reeves starred in "The Replacements" (2000) alongside Gene Hackman. Reeves reportedly took a 90% pay cut so Hackman could be cast.
28. The film also marked the second time he had played an Ohio State University quarterback. "Point Break" is the other.
29. He's also a credited director. In 2013, his directorial debut "Man of Tai Chi" premiered at the Beijing Film Festival. Reeves began work on the project in 2008, inspired by his friend and stuntman Tiger Chen, who also starred in the film.
30. In 2011, he also became an author after writing the text for the grown-up picture "Ode to Happiness."
31. In September 2014, Reeves had two female intruders in his Hollywood Hills home -- in a span of just four days. Reeves found the first intruder hanging out in his library, while the second took a shower in his bathroom and then was found skinny-dipping in his pool by a cleaning crew. You can't make this stuff up.
Bonus Facts
32. Reeves is a motorcycle enthusiast and has recently started manufacturing his own bikes, Arch Motorcycle Company.
33. He loves ballroom dancing.
[Sources: IMDb, Wikipedia]
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