Life Lessons From Keanu Reeves

Welcome to Life Lessons. This week, we look to Keanu Reeves for some wisdom. After reprising his famed role as Neo in The Matrix Resurrection last month, Keanu is back in action—and we couldn’t be happier about it. From his reputation for generous on-set gifting—he doled out Rolexes to his stunt team on John Wick: Chapter 4 and footed the bill for a cast and crew trip to S.F. after the latest Matrix—to his status as Canada’s best export, Reeves has shown us time and again that he is too good for this dimension. Today, we’re flipping through the pages of our Fall 1991 cover story with Reeves—shot right before his raunchy debut as a teenage runaway alongside River Phoenix in My Own Private Idaho—which offers us endless reminders of the actor’s boundless charisma. (And did we mention the steamy pictures? So sit back, grab a pen—you just might learn a thing or two.  

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“When I see stuff in L.A. now I realize how safe and sheltered my upbringing [in Toronto] was. We didn’t even do graffiti, you know? We’d build go-carts called Fireball 500. I mean we did sling chestnuts at teachers’ heads, and in grade eight hash started to come around, and LSD kinda.”

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“The Ramones changed my life. There’s the Pixies, but I mean I don’t know if I love ’em. I was telling some guy in a frat in San Diego what bands I like and he says, ‘Oh, so you like slightly alternative music.’ [laughs]”

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“I’m like second circle punk. G.B.H. and the Exploited are my two hardcore bands of choice. I love playing them too.”

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“I want to be a speed freak for a while. Is that a stupid thing to say?”

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“I’m makin’ movies in Hollywood, you know? The things that I’m doin’ are pretty sheltered. For me, acting is very self-involved, especially between projects. Once you get a part, you’re liberated. You can find out what that character thinks.”

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“I’ve been rereading Letters to a Young Poet and Autobiography of Malcolm X. And some John Rechy novels, as research for the Gus Van Sant film. Oh, and I love Philip K. Dick.”

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“I don’t know about Manifest Destiny and all that. You get what you put out and all that shit? I guess it’s just been my lot so far.”

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“I dig the blues, man. The blues have always had some of the best times, best feelings I’ve ever had. The last person I saw was Buddy Guy, but it was in a bad space. Just bummed me out. Everyone was sittin’ down, and they had candles in the middle of the tables! So it’s like, ‘Bababawawa!’ [Mimes a frenetic guitar player.] And everyone’s like [claps politely], ‘Excellent music.’”

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“My motorcycle, my 1974, 850 Norton Commando, high-performance English touring motor-cycle. Yaaggghhhhhh! I’ve fucked up a couple of times, [laughs] but I love that bike, man.”

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“No, I dig going out, but you know—I have fun. I’ll go see art. I’ll do whatever—drink, dance, play. All that shit. Sometimes I go to clubs. I love the blues, man.”

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“On the weekends I’ve been kinds cruising the boulevards.  L.A. is so trippy. It becomes like a small town really quick. On those weekend nights the prostitutes are out, and the kids from school, people cruising, and in the clubs all that stuff is going on.”