“The Matrix Resurrections” Star Keanu Reeves Covers Esquire’s Winter Issue

Keanu Reeves is the cover star of the new Winter issue of Esquire. He is always working, with sixty-eight movies in thirty-five years, he’s played killing machines, doofuses, romantics, messiahs, and devils. But he always stays, Keanu. In “Keanu Reeves WTF” by Ryan D’Agostino what it means to be Keanu Reeves is explained thanks to good friends, like Sandra Bullock. The Matrix Resurrections, the fourth installment of his gazillion dollar franchise is out December 22nd and the Winter issue of Esquire will be available everywhere December 7th.

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On how he can relate and connect to other people so well: “[I] think there’s a little nature/nurture in there. I guess what isn’t nature/nurture? Yeah, in terms of the biological, psychological, cultural, genetic breakdown of my upbringing, I’m sure you could put together a bunch of stuff there, but that’s why I mentioned the idea of nature, because even as a kid, I was pretty empathetic.”

The three movies he would recommend to someone who has never heard of him: “Okay, let’s just start with The Matrix—and when I say The Matrix, let’s do the trilogy—that’s one. Then let’s do The Devil’s Advocate. And then let’s do…we need something action-y in there, so let’s do Point Break.”

On the time he slipped into a movie theater in summer 2019 to see John Wick 3: “I didn’t know if I was going to get the chance to do another one, and I just wanted to see if people liked it. It was cool when people started laughing during the knife fight in the opening. I went with a friend. I was like, ‘Let’s go see John Wick 3 before it goes.’ I love John Wick movies! They’re fun! I wanted to be with an audience, because I didn’t know if I would get to see it again, or if another one would happen. I wanted to soak it in, to see it on the big screen—these movies are made for the big screen. We got popcorn—you gotta have popcorn. Some Peanut M&M’s. Sweet and savory. Coca-Cola.”

On how he reacted to The Matrix screenplay: “I just mainlined it. I thought”—Jimmy Cagney voice—“Well, this is up my alley! I’d had some of that thought training, reading about multipersonality universes and perspectives. So when I came across the script, thinking about this reality and this matrix, and then anime agents and the idea of thought control or what’s reality, and virtual reality—yeah, I felt pretty at home in those.”

On his late friend, River Phoenix: “He’s a—It’s weird speaking about him in the past. I hate speaking about him in the past. So I almost always gotta keep it present. He was a really special person, so original, unique, smart, talented, fiercely creative. Thoughtful. Brave. And funny. And dark. And light. It was great to have known him. To—yeah. Inspirational. Miss him.”

On the possible opening sequence of John Wick 4: “There’s a sequence—hopefully, knock on wood—in John Wick 4, the opening sequence. John Wick is back in the desert on a horse. I’m going to hopefully be able to fast-gallop and run.”

On whether he and Sandra Bullock with reunite on screen again: “I sure hope so. She’s such a wonderful artist and person. And, you know, I think we have good chemistry. And it would be really exciting and interesting to get the chance to perform with her again.”

[Photo Credit: Nathaniel Goldberg for Esquire Magazine]

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