This iconic Canadian actor has an extremely recognizable name and appearance, known mostly for his roles in critically acclaimed action thrillers. But does this enigmatic celeb smoke?
As of 1996, Keanu Reeves does smoke. While playing a character who was a smoker, Reeves picked up the habit at 32 years old and has continued smoking ever since.
Read on to find out more about Reeves’ habit and other interesting facts about this peculiar actor.
Feeling Minnesota
Reeves was 32 years old when he began smoking, which is very unusual. People most often begin smoking in their teens or early twenties and carry the habit into adulthood; very few people actually begin as an adult.
The character responsible for the habit was Jjaks from Feeling Minnesota, a 1996 crime drama and comedy. In playing the role, he was required to smoke, and by the time they’d finished shooting all of his scenes, he was addicted.
While this may show his dedication to his craft, it greatly put his health at risk, and he is still addicted to smoking today. This recent Twitter post shows Reeves taking a smoke and coke break on the set of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum.
Reeves has expressed his interest in quitting, saying that smoking “is a prison, but I want to stop.”
With Keanu Reeves, there’s something both strange and compelling about him. His life is full of unusual, unexpected stories like this one, so what are some other interesting facts about Keanu Reeves?
Fun Facts and Mysteries
Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and was named after his great-great-uncle Keaweaheulu. Keanu means “cool breeze over the mountain” in Hawaiian.
When he moved to Los Angeles to become an actor, his agents wanted him to change his name, because they thought his was “too exotic.” He came up with the names “Chuck Spadina” and “Templeton Page Taylor III,” which they didn’t like very much.
While his name is now well-known and even iconic, in his early career his name sometimes came up as K. C. Reeves, since Keanu Charles Reeves is his full name, Norman Kreeves, and even as Chuck Spadina. While his name choices certainly show his eccentricity, many fans are glad he kept his real name.
Reeves was raised in Toronto, Canada, and has the hockey skills to prove it. He’d initially dreamed of becoming a professional player, his defensive skills having earned him the nickname “The Wall,” but he unfortunately had to stop playing because of an injury.
A man of many talents, Reeves was also the bassist and backup vocals of a band called Dogstar in the 90s. After bonding over hockey, Reeves and Robert Mailhouse, Gregg Miller, and Bret Domrose came together to form Dogstar, releasing two albums and performing worldwide until Reeves had to leave the band because of his acting commitments.
Reeves also may be legally married to Winona Ryder… but neither of them is certain. They were co-stars in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and when they filmed the wedding scene, the priest recited the whole ceremony, so it was technically official–but they’re still not sure if it’s legally binding.
After this picture of Reeves looking sad and eating a sandwich went viral, he was the star of many memes and other internet jokes. The media attention inspired him to write Ode to Happiness, a book of poetry about dealing with sadness in a humorous, illustrated way. “I draw a hot sorrow bath / In my despair room,” are the first two lines–and it only gets better.
Here’s one last Keanu internet mystery: is Keanu Reeves immortal? There’s even a whole website dedicated to the subject, featuring pictures like this one of Reeves’ doppelgangers–or past selves–throughout the years.
And those are just some of the things that make Keanu Reeves interesting. There are many, many more.
Learn more about the free-spirited actor in Looper’s YouTube video below.