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 impactful performances in action films over four decades. He's also known for his positive public persona and philanthropic endeavors. Reeves was ranked as one of the greatest actors of the 21st century by The New York Times in 2020 and named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2022.

Sections (4)

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

September 2, 1964: Keanu Reeves' Birth

On September 2, 1964, Keanu Charles Reeves was born. He is a Canadian actor and musician recognized for his roles in action films and philanthropic endeavors.

Others born on this day/year

1966: Parents' Divorce

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

1970: Mother's Marriage to Paul Aaron

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

1971: Divorce of Mother and Paul Aaron

In 1971, Keanu Reeves's mother and Paul Aaron divorced after moving to Toronto.

1976: Mother's Marriage to Robert Miller

In 1976, Keanu Reeves's mother married Robert Miller, a rock music promoter.

1980: Divorce of Mother and Robert Miller

In 1980, Keanu Reeves's mother and Robert Miller divorced.

1981: Murder of Marcy Renee Conrad

In 1986, Keanu Reeves was cast in River's Edge, a crime drama about a group of high school friends dealing with a murder case, loosely based on the 1981 murder of Marcy Renee Conrad.

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1998: Meeting Jennifer Syme

In 1998, Keanu Reeves met Jennifer Syme at a party thrown for his band Dogstar, and they started dating.

December 24, 1999: Stillbirth of Reeves and Syme's child

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

April 2, 2001: Death of Jennifer Syme

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

2001: Forbes Celebrity 100 List Appearance

In 2001, Keanu Reeves appeared on Forbes' annual Celebrity 100 list at number 36.

2002: Forbes Celebrity 100 List Appearance

In 2002, Keanu Reeves appeared on Forbes' annual Celebrity 100 list at number 49.

2002: Dogstar Disbanded

In 2002, Keanu Reeves' band Dogstar disbanded after a decade together. The band released two albums.

2003: Harley-Davidson Gifts to 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.

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2005: Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

In 2005, Keanu Reeves received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the motion picture industry.

2005: Described as 'Hollywood's ultimate introvert'

In 2005, Lev Grossman of Time magazine described Keanu Reeves as 'Hollywood's ultimate introvert'.

2009: Meeting Alexandra Grant

In 2009, Keanu Reeves met Alexandra Grant at a dinner party; they went on to collaborate on two books together.

2010: "Sad Keanu" Meme

In 2010, a photo of Keanu Reeves sitting on a park bench with a sad expression became the "Sad Keanu" internet meme.

2011: Co-founding ARCH Motorcycle Company

In 2011, Keanu Reeves co-founded ARCH Motorcycle Company with Gard Hollinger, which builds and sells custom motorcycles.

2015: Coppola's Retrospective Interview on Bram Stoker's Dracula

In 2015, director Coppola gave a retrospective interview where he said that Keanu Reeves tried so hard during the filming of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

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2016: Earnings from 'The Matrix' Franchise

In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter calculated that Keanu Reeves had earned $250 million for 'The Matrix' franchise.

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2017: Founding X Artists' Books

In 2017, Keanu Reeves, Jessica Fleischmann, and Alexandra Grant founded book publisher, X Artists' Books (XAB).

2017: Meme about Keanu Reeves being "secretly immortal" gains media prominence

In 2017, a popular meme asserting that Reeves is "secretly immortal" and has lived throughout the last millennia under the identities of several historical figures, including Charlemagne and French actor Paul Mounet, came to media prominence when Reeves was asked by Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show about it.

March 2019: United Airlines Flight Incident

In March 2019, Keanu Reeves's United Airlines flight was grounded, and he took initiative to arrange alternate travel plans, entertaining fellow passengers with fun facts and music about Bakersfield.

July 2019: Signing "You're Breathtaking" Banner

While filming 'Bill & Ted Face the Music' in July 2019, Keanu Reeves signed a "You're Breathtaking" banner for a family, referencing memes from his appearance at the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

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November 2019: Going Public with Alexandra Grant

In November 2019, Keanu Reeves and Alexandra Grant went public with their relationship.

2019: Dubbed "Internet's boyfriend"

In 2019, Keanu Reeves's casual persona and rapport with the public led him to be dubbed the "Internet's boyfriend" and cited for his appeal to nerd culture.

June 2020: Volunteering for Camp Rainbow Gold

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

2020: Ranked Among Greatest Actors by The New York Times

In 2020, The New York Times ranked Keanu Reeves at number four on its list of the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century.

August 2022: Attending a Fan's Wedding

In August 2022, Keanu Reeves attended a fan's wedding in Northamptonshire, UK, after chatting with the couple at a bar and being invited to the ceremony.

2022: Films Banned in China

In 2022, after Keanu Reeves's recitation of a Beat poem for a benefit concert for Tibet House US, his films were banned from streaming platforms in China.

March 2023: Charity Auction for St. Jude

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

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October 2023: Playing Catch with a Young Fan

In October 2023, Keanu Reeves played catch with a young fan named Elijah before a Dogstar concert in Houston, gaining media attention for the wholesome interaction.

2023: Laurence Fishburne's Remarks on Keanu

In 2023, Laurence Fishburne remarked that Keanu Reeves is kinder and more thoughtful than people realize.

2023: Website chronicling Keanu Reeves' "whoa" moments

In 2023, a website dedicated to chronicling every time Reeves has spoken the word "whoa" in his film career was created by web developer Avi Mamenko to honor him.

2024: Thoughts on Mortality and Motorsport Debut

In 2024, Keanu Reeves reflected on mortality. On October 5, 2024, he made his motorsport debut in the Toyota GR Cup North America 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.