Childhood and Education Journey of Keanu Reeves in Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Keanu Reeves. A timeline of key moments.

Keanu Reeves is a highly acclaimed Canadian actor and musician recognized for his extensive four-decade career in film, particularly his leading roles in action movies. He is celebrated for his likable public persona and philanthropic endeavors. Reeves was ranked among the greatest actors of the 21st century by The New York Times in 2020, and in 2022, Time magazine acknowledged his global influence by including him in their list of the 100 most influential people.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1951: The Day the Earth Stood Still original released

In 2008, Keanu Reeves starred in The Day the Earth Stood Still, a loose adaptation of the 1951 film.

Loading Video...

September 2, 1964: Keanu Reeves Born

On September 2, 1964, Keanu Charles Reeves was born. He later became a Canadian actor and musician known for his action film roles, public image, and philanthropy.

Others born on this day/year

1966: Parents' Divorce and Move to Sydney

In 1966, Keanu Reeves' parents divorced, leading his mother to move the family to Sydney, Australia.

1970: Mother's Marriage to Paul Aaron in New York City

In 1970, Keanu Reeves' mother married Paul Aaron, a Broadway and Hollywood director, in New York City.

1971: Move to Toronto and Divorce

In 1971, the family moved to Toronto, and Keanu Reeves' mother and Paul Aaron divorced, marking another change in his family life.

1976: Mother's Marriage to Robert Miller

In 1976, Keanu Reeves' mother married Robert Miller, a rock music promoter, further changing the family dynamic.

1977: Novel A Scanner Darkly Published

The 2006 film A Scanner Darkly, starring Keanu Reeves, was based on the 1977 novel by Philip K. Dick.

A Scanner Darkly

Check it on Amazon

1980: Mother's Divorce from Robert Miller

In 1980, Keanu Reeves' mother divorced Robert Miller. Reeves and his sisters grew up primarily in Toronto, with a nanny frequently caring for them.

1981: Short story Johnny Mnemonic released

In 1981, William Gibson released the short story Johnny Mnemonic, which served as the basis for the 1995 film starring Keanu Reeves.

1981: Murder Case Inspiration for River's Edge

In 1981, the murder of Marcy Renee Conrad served as loose inspiration for the crime drama River's Edge, in which Keanu Reeves starred in 1986, showcasing his involvement in thought-provoking roles.

1994: Starring in Speed and Phoenix Death

In 1994, Keanu Reeves starred in the action thriller Speed alongside Sandra Bullock. During production, his friend and My Own Private Idaho co-star River Phoenix died, resulting in adjustments to the filming schedule to allow him to mourn.

Loading Video...

1998: Meeting Jennifer Syme

In 1998, Keanu Reeves met Jennifer Syme, director David Lynch's assistant, at a party for his band Dogstar, and they began dating.

December 24, 1999: Loss of stillborn child with Jennifer Syme

On December 24, 1999, Jennifer Syme, Keanu Reeves' girlfriend at the time, gave birth to their stillborn child eight months into her pregnancy.

1999: Thumbsucker novel

The movie Thumbsucker, in which Keanu Reeves starred in 2005, was adapted from the 1999 novel by Walter Kirn.

Thumbsucker: A Novel

Check it on Amazon

2000: Il Mare released

In 2006, Reeves starred in The Lake House, a romantic drama adaptation of the 2000 South Korean film Il Mare.

Loading Video...

April 2, 2001: Death of Jennifer Syme

On April 2, 2001, Jennifer Syme, Keanu Reeves' former girlfriend, died in a car accident in Los Angeles. She was under the influence and not wearing a seatbelt.

2003: Gift of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles to Matrix Reloaded Stunt Team

In 2003, as a wrap gift for the twelve-person stunt team of The Matrix Reloaded, Keanu Reeves purchased Harley-Davidson motorcycles for each member as a thank you for their help.

2005: Described as "Hollywood's ultimate introvert"

In a 2005 article for Time magazine, Lev Grossman called Keanu Reeves "Hollywood's ultimate introvert", noting his hardworking, charming, and "excruciatingly shy" personality.

2009: Meeting Alexandra Grant

In 2009, Keanu Reeves met Alexandra Grant at a dinner party, later collaborating on two books together.

2010: "Sad Keanu" Internet Meme

In 2010, an image of Keanu Reeves sitting on a park bench with a sad facial expression became an internet meme known as "Sad Keanu". June 15 was unofficially declared "Cheer-up Keanu Day" by a Facebook fan page.

2017: Addressing the Immortal Meme

In 2017, Keanu Reeves addressed the popular meme asserting that he is "secretly immortal" during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. He acknowledged his resemblance to historical figures such as Charlemagne.

Loading Video...

March 2019: United Airlines Flight Grounded in Bakersfield

In March 2019, after his United Airlines flight to Burbank, California was grounded in Bakersfield, Keanu Reeves took initiative in arranging alternate travel plans for the passengers, reading fun facts about Bakersfield and playing 1950s American country music.

July 2019: Signing "You're Breathtaking" Banner

In July 2019, while filming Bill & Ted Face the Music, Keanu Reeves signed a "You're Breathtaking" banner for a family, praising and lauding as "the best human on the planet". The banner referenced memes from his appearance at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2019 for Cyberpunk 2077.

November 2019: Public Announcement of Relationship with Alexandra Grant

In November 2019, Keanu Reeves publicly announced his relationship with Alexandra Grant.

2019: Dubbed as "Internet's boyfriend"

In 2019, Keanu Reeves was dubbed the "Internet's boyfriend" due to his casual persona, ability to establish rapport, and appeal to nerd culture. He is commonly considered one of the kindest, most thoughtful actors in Hollywood.

June 2020: Volunteering for Camp Rainbow Gold

In June 2020, Keanu Reeves volunteered for Camp Rainbow Gold, an Idaho-based children's cancer charity.

2021: Johnny Mnemonic set in the future

The cyberpunk action thriller Johnny Mnemonic, released in 1995, is set in the year 2021 and involves a man with a cybernetic brain implant.

August 2022: Attending Fan's Wedding in Northamptonshire

In August 2022, Keanu Reeves attended a fan's wedding in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, congratulating the couple and participating in a photoshoot with the family.

March 2023: Auction for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

In March 2023, after filming John Wick: Chapter 4, Keanu Reeves, Chad Stahelski, and Dave Camarillo signed a training uniform which was auctioned to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

October 2023: Playing catch with a young fan at a Dogstar concert

In October 2023, Keanu Reeves played catch with a young fan named Elijah before a Dogstar concert in Houston.

2023: Laurence Fishburne's comment on Keanu Reeves's character

In 2023, Laurence Fishburne described Keanu Reeves as kinder, more gentle, highly intelligent, thoughtful, gifted, incredibly patient and as having a lot of grace.

2024: Reeves discusses mortality and makes motorsport debut

In 2024, Keanu Reeves shared his thoughts on mortality and made his motorsport debut in the Toyota GR Cup North America, finishing 25th in Race 1 and 24th in Race 2 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

2024: Contract with Windsor Spitfires

In 2024, Keanu Reeves signed a one-day contract with the Windsor Spitfires, and signed items which were auctioned off in benefit of the Canadian Mental Health Association of Windsor-Essex.