Keanu Reeves Once Called Acting a ‘Godawful Job’
Keanu Reeves is a beloved actor in Hollywood. He has been acting in box office hits for decades now and does not seem to be slowing down any time soon. However, in a resurfaced interview, Reeves once described acting in not-so-nice terms. He called it a “godawful job.”
Keanu Reeves has been acting for over 35 years
Reeves was drawn to acting as a kid. He was diagnosed with dyslexia, but he loved reading stories. Reeves shared in an interview with Esquire that he often spent time at the library “reading Chekhov plays.” He began taking acting lessons and participating in school plays.
Reeves’ Hollywood career began in the 1980s with films like Youngblood (1986), River’s Edge (1986), and Dangerous Liaisons (1988). He rose to fame in 1989 with Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
Then, in the 1990s, he became even more of a star after starring in Speed (1994) and The Matrix (1999).
In recent years, he also gained popularity for appearing in the John Wick film series, which started in 2014.
Keanu Reeves once called acting a ‘godawful job’ in an old interview
In August 2020, The Wrap posted a 1987 interview with Reeves and his Bill and Ted costar Alex Winter. This was in the beginning of Reeves’ career and Hollywood fame, and he had some words to say about acting as a career.
The Wrap reported, “Reeves frowned when I asked how long he had been acting. ‘Well… I don’t know if I’m acting now,’ he said. ‘I’m pretty bad.’ Pause. ‘I mean, I’m OK, but I hate acting most of the time that I do it.’ The future star sidestepped whether he’d pursue another line of work. ‘I have other interests,’ he said, ‘but none as all-consuming as this godawful job.’”
However, in other interviews he did speak more positively about his career. For example, in 1995, he spoke about not caring for fame, saying, “The only thing I’m interested in is making and acting in movies that people enjoy, whether they’re Hollywood movies or independents.”
Some fans don’t think Keanu Reeves is a good actor
Reeves is a well-liked actor and often admired for his kindness and generosity. While his fans still support his work, some of them have admitted that they do not think he is a good actor.
One person wrote on Reddit, “I mean, I liked John Wick and The Matrix and that one with the time machine, but can we be frank? Keanu Reeves is not a good actor, right? This isn’t someone I hate, I just don’t think he is a great actor or even a good one.”
“I agree, he’s not great. And I think he knows it, which is why he remains humble about his celebrity and donates to charities without a lot of publicity,” another person speculated. “He’s a good guy.”
Other fans pointed out that, despite what one may think about his acting, Reeves should still get credit for choosing good roles and putting a lot of effort into his work.
