Keanu Reeves’ ‘John Wick’ Co-Stars Recalled the Nicest Things He Did on Set
You may know Keanu Reeves from any one of his iconic roles—he’s been the focal point of several Hollywood franchises. You may also know him as one heck of a nice guy. Tales of Reeves’ exploits as a good dude are legendary across the internet.
Apparently, word of his nice guy status leaked from the set of the John Wick movies, where he allegedly did a ton of good deeds his costars were more than happy to talk about. Let’s take a closer look at why Reeves is known for being such a good person and what he did specifically on the set of the John Wick films to build his reputation.
Keanu Reeves is known for being one of the nicest people in Hollywood
It’s true that Reeves is a popular actor. He’s headlined the Matrix trilogy, the Bill and Ted films, and now, the John Wick saga. But Reeves is well-liked for more than his ability to lead a film. He’s also known for his magnanimity.
In one famous example, someone caught a cell phone video of Reeves giving up his seat on the New York subway. Reeves had no idea he was on camera at the time and was doing it simply because he saw it as a polite thing to do. The video went viral, with a lot of people experiencing firsthand what a nice person he could be.
Fewer people know about the charity Reeves funds. After his sister had a long battle with leukemia, Reeves started a secret charitable organization in support of cancer research and children’s hospitals. While Reeves provides financial backing, he does not attach his name to it.
Reeves also removes his ego when it comes to his films. There were two examples of Reeves’ accepting a pay cut to pave the way for two legendary actors. One was Gene Hackman. Reeves took a 90% pay cut so producers could cast Hackman as the head coach in the football comedy The Replacements. When he made The Devil’s Advocate, Reeves shaved his salary by a whopping $2 million so the studio could cast Al Pacino. That shows he’s willing to sacrifice to add talent and quality to the films he’s a part of.
Keanu Reeves doesn’t particularly like being told how nice he is
Some people do nice things and can’t wait to hear them reported back to them. Reeves is different, however. He reportedly gets uncomfortable when the idea of him being a nice guy is broached. While it’s common for celebrities to want people to think of them as humble or nice, Reeves seems almost embarrassed by the thought. It just feeds into the idea that he is, indeed, a good person.
It’s not just people on the internet who think Reeves is a perfect gentleman – his John Wick castmates agree.
Keanu Reeves’ ‘John Wick’ co-stars recall the nicest things he did on set
Reeves’ John Wick co-stars had plenty of nice things to say about him. In interviews with For The Win, they said that on set, Reeves did the following:
- Ian McShane said Reeves brought him tea.
- Director Chad Stahelski said Reeves is always generous with his time.
- According to Lance Reddick, he asked Reeves if he wanted him to try a scene another way. Reeves reassured him, saying, “No man. You just do your thing.”
- Mark Dacascos gushed over how collaborative Reeves was and added, “All the good things you hear about Keanu…they’re true!”
That’s proof positive that Reeves’ kindness is more than just a meme. It’s a hallmark of his professionalism that his colleagues have picked up on and shown appreciation for.
