Keanu Reeves's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Keanu Reeves.

Keanu Reeves is a celebrated Canadian actor and musician with a career spanning four decades. Known for leading roles in action films, an amiable public image, and philanthropic work, Reeves has garnered numerous accolades. The New York Times ranked him as the fourth-greatest actor of the 21st century in 2020, and Time magazine recognized him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.

Sections (4)

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

1989: Breakthrough Role in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

In 1989, Keanu Reeves had his breakthrough role in the science-fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, gaining wider recognition.

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1992: MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male

In 1992, Keanu Reeves won the Most Desirable Male award at the MTV Movie Awards for his role in Point Break.

1994: People names Keanu Reeves Sexiest Man Alive retroactively.

In November 2015, People retroactively named Keanu Reeves 1994's Sexiest Man Alive.

1995: Academy Awards for Speed

In 1995, the film Speed, starring Keanu Reeves, won two Academy Awards: Best Sound Editing and Best Sound.

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1997: Performance in The Devil's Advocate

In 1997, Keanu Reeves's performance in the horror film The Devil's Advocate was well received, marking a positive turn after box-office disappointments.

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1999: Role as Neo in The Matrix

In 1999, Keanu Reeves achieved greater stardom with his role as Neo in The Matrix, a significant milestone in his career.

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2001: Forbes Celebrity 100 list

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

2002: Forbes Celebrity 100 list

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

2003: Highest Paid Actor for The Matrix Sequels

In 2003, Keanu Reeves became the highest paid actor for a single production for reprising his role as Neo in The Matrix sequels Reloaded and Revolutions.

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2005: Star on the 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.

2014: Career Comeback with John Wick

In 2014, Keanu Reeves experienced a career comeback playing the title role in the action thriller John Wick. The film was released on October 24 in the United States and proved to be a box office success.

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November 2015: People names Keanu Reeves Sexiest Man Alive retroactively.

In November 2015, People retroactively named Keanu Reeves 1994's Sexiest Man Alive.

2016: Earnings from The Matrix franchise

In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter calculated that Keanu Reeves had earned $250 million for The Matrix franchise, making him one of the highest-paid actors.

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2019: Releases and Appearances in 2019

In 2019, Keanu Reeves starred in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, voiced Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4, played himself in Always Be My Maybe, and began producing the Netflix series Conquest in São Paulo. Also in 2019, a film festival called KeanuCon was held in Glasgow, Scotland, in his honor on April 27 and 28.

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2020: Ranked as Fourth-Greatest Actor of the 21st Century

In 2020, The New York Times ranked Keanu Reeves as the fourth-greatest actor of the 21st century, recognizing his significant contributions to film.

2020: Ranked on New York Times Greatest Actors list

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

September 2021: Tae Kwon Do Life Magazine Deems Reeves #1 Martial Arts Movie Star

In September 2021, Tae Kwon Do Life Magazine deemed Keanu Reeves the "#1 Martial Arts movie star in the world" based upon his multiple films in the genre, their popularity, and box office success.

2022: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2022, Time magazine named Keanu Reeves one of the 100 most influential people in the world, acknowledging his impact and influence.

2022: Keanu Reeves Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2022, Time magazine named Keanu Reeves one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

2023: Naming of Keanumycin

In 2023, the lipopeptide keanumycin, a substance deadly to fungi, was named in honor of Keanu Reeves.

May 2024: Netflix wins Conquest series litigation

By the end of May 2024, Netflix won litigation over the rights to the Reeves-produced Conquest series, with the footage reverting to their ownership alongside being reimbursed for $8.78 million worth of creator Carl Erik Rinsch's misused production money.

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2024: Awards and Recognition in 2024

In 2024, Keanu Reeves was honored on Gold House's Most Impactful Asians A100 list and was presented with the Inkpot Award for Lifetime Contributions to Movies, TV, Comics, and Books at San Diego Comic-Con.