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Keanu Reeves, actor (b at Beirut, Lebanon 2 Sept 1964). At the age of 5, after a peripatetic family life, Reeves moved to Toronto with his mother and stayed there until 1984, attending various drama schools under the influence of his stepfather, the Broadway and Hollywood producer Paul Aaron.
Reeves's theatrical career began in earnest in a THEATRE PASSE MURAILLE production of Brad FRASER's Wolfboy in 1983. He appeared in several marginal films, then moved to Los Angeles in 1984. Within a couple of years his career had taken off. His Hollywood debut occurred in the gloomy and intense teen-picture River's Edge (1986). Soon he was appearing in populist hits like Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and in more arty or offbeat films such as Dangerous Liaisons (1988), My Own Private Idaho (1991), Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993) and Much Ado About Nothing (1993). He acted in Francis Coppola's lavish Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), in the huge hit Speed (1994), and in the mainstream A-budget film The Devil's Advocate (1997), attaining a high degree of stardom and enormous fan interest worldwide. He has played many character types and genres, from psycho bad guys in thrillers like The Watcher (2000) to the heroes of sappy romances like Sweet November (2001). His most successful role was in the cyberpunk cult smash The Matrix (1999), where he was ideally cast as a man who is not especially bright but definitely has something. Reeves's most striking quality as a movie star is his sensational beauty and masculine appeal. Critics have questioned his talent, attributing his success to his physical presence rather than his ability to bring depth and nuance to a performance. His choice of movie material has fed this critical ambivalence, oscillating between straightforward commercial projects and more ambitious material. Although Reeves was rejected by the STRATFORD FESTIVAL at an audition in the early 1980s, he has returned to Shakespeare several times, including a stage performance in the title role of Hamlet at the MANITOBA THEATRE CENTRE in 1995.
Author
WILLIAM BEARD
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