The Profile Dossier Classic: Keanu Reeves, Hollywood's Most Gracious Actor
The Profile Dossier Classic: Keanu Reeves, Hollywood's Most Gracious Actor"If you have been brutally broken but still have the courage to be gentle to other living beings, then you’re a badass with a heart of an angel."Keanu Reeves is no stranger to tragedy. Born in Beirut, Reeves's early life was marked with turbulence and instability. He was only 3 years old when his father left the family, and the last time they spoke was when Reeves was 13 years old. In 1994, his father was arrested with large quantities of heroin and cocaine, and sentenced to 10 years in jail. He was released in 1996. Reeves refuses to discuss his relationship with his father, only saying, “The story with me and my dad’s pretty heavy. It’s full of pain and woe and f*cking loss and all that sh*t.” Throughout his childhood, Reeves and his sister would move around with their mother to Hawaii, Australia, and New York before settling in Toronto. Reeves attended four different high schools in the span of five years. Reeves struggled with academics because of his dyslexia, but he found a passion for theater when he was only 9 years old. He dropped out of his fourth high school to pursue acting, and after moving to Los Angeles in 1986, Reeves landed his career-launching role in the science fiction comedy film Bill and Ted. But before long, tragedy struck again. In 1991, his younger sister was diagnosed with leukemia that she battled for years. Reeves started a private foundation that donates to children’s hospitals and cancer research. In 1999, just as Reeves gained national acclaim for his role as Neo in the iconic film The Matrix, he and his longtime girlfriend Jennifer Syme were expecting their first child. In December of that year, their daughter Ava was stillborn at eight months on Christmas Eve. Unable to recover from the grief, Reeves and Syme ended their relationship, but remained close friends. Eighteen months later, Syme passed out at the wheel, collided with three parked cars, and was thrown from the car. She died in the accident. “Grief changes shape, but it never ends,” Reeves once said. “People have a misconception that you can deal with it and say, ‘It’s gone, and I’m better.’ They’re wrong. When the people you love are gone, you’re alone.” Reeves has become a legendary actor, producer, and director, but he also has a reputation for being a genuinely good person. He's become known for his random acts of kindness, of which there are many. We've seen him giving up his seat on a crowded subway to a woman with a large bag, jumping out of a car to autograph a sign he saw on a fan's lawn, and hanging out with a homeless man on the side streets of West Hollywood. Despite everything he's been through, Reeves teaches us that tragedy can be used to create a beautiful life filled with joy and kindness. Remember, there is no light without darkness. "If you have been brutally broken but still have the courage to be gentle to other living beings,” he says, “then you’re a badass with a heart of an angel." ✨ The rest of this newsletter is only available for premium members of The Profile, whose support makes this work possible. If you’re not already a premium member, consider upgrading your subscription below for access to the full Profile Dossier. ✨... Keep reading with a 7-day free trialSubscribe to The Profile to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives. A subscription gets you:
|
Older messages
The Profile: Prince Harry’s ghostwriter & the Ponzi scheme mastermind who hooked Warren Buffett
Sunday, May 21, 2023
This edition of The Profile features Heather Wilson, JR Moehringer, Martha Stewart, Bob Lee, and more.
The Profile Original: Former U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson: ‘Know the Difference Between Advice and Comm…
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
“There is no substitute for the decision-making by the people responsible for the outcome."
The Profile: The entrepreneur taking on Elon Musk & the Theranos founder adopting a new persona
Sunday, May 14, 2023
In honor of Mother's Day, my mom (!) wrote me a letter about the four big lessons she's learned in motherhood.
The Profile Dossier: Martha Cooper, the Legendary Graffiti Photographer Who Captured a Cultural Movement
Friday, May 12, 2023
“If art like this is a crime, then let God forgive me."
The Profile: The pioneer of ‘trauma studies’ & the mayor who became homeless
Sunday, May 7, 2023
This week's edition of The Profile features Geoffrey Hinton, Craig Coyner, Judith Herman, and more.
You Might Also Like
I'm back, and have some news
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
I'm selling my newsletter (not this one)
🦅 Skyrocket your audience growth
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
One Time Promo ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
🔍 Bridge IRL to Digital Activations
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
How to take over a city...
📣 Stay on brand
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Create your business's personality. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
CRITICAL - Read before MIDNIGHT… ⏳
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
How to harness "Reverse Maximization" to launch your first *Cash-Flow Funnel* in as little as 7 days... View in browser ClickBank We've just released a last-minute REPLAY and RECAP of
Unlock our best offer of the year
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Save an extra 20%, for a limited time only. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Bitcoin Rally Hits Fresh Highs at $89,500 With Eyes on $100K+
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Plus Wall Street Embraces Bitcoin With Unprecedented $38B in Volume
Is your 2024 holiday marketing strategy ready? 🎁🎄
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Find key trends and tips to help you navigate this season ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Social media strategies that drive results
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Over 75% of consumers judge brands by their social media presence. Having a strong and authentic brand voice on social channels will help your company stand out from competitors, increase your reach,
ET: November 12th 2024
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Exploding Topics Logo Presented by: Exploding Topics Pro Logo Here's this week's list of rapidly trending topics, insights and analysis. Topic #1 AI Ethics (trends) Chart AI ethics refers to a