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Keanu Reeves has long seemed to be someone who doesn’t take fame too seriously. Whereas now he brings a certain level of calm to his place in Hollywood, he once noted how surreal he finds his fame. Such humility is part of why fans love him so much. And even some of his fellow actors — such as Mrs. America star Melanie Lynskey — have nothing but praise.

Keanu Reeves at 'John Wick' special screenings at Ham Yard Hotel in London in 2019
Keanu Reeves at ‘John Wick’ special screenings at Ham Yard Hotel in London in 2019 | Dave J Hogan/Getty Images for Lionsgate

Fans love to connect over their mutual love of Keanu Reeves

Reeves has been a big-screen mainstay since the mid-1980s. Particularly, the two Bill and Ted movies and Point Break established his A-list status. Though the actor has seen his share of box office flops, he is as popular as ever now. In 2019, Reeves had three major hits: John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, Toy Story 4, and Netflix comedy Always Be My Maybe.

Soon thereafter, fans began to converge with their own stories about meeting or interacting with Reeves. Among these accounts was one from Australian author Rosie Waterland, who describes Reeves as “so sweet and quiet and nervous” during her brief time meeting him in 2008. About a year before Waterland, Lynskey weighed in with her own tale of meeting Reeves.

‘Mrs. America’ star Melanie Lynskey once shared how she met the actor

Lynskey has appeared in movies and TV shows since the mid-1990s. In fact, her debut film role was opposite Kate Winslet in director Peter Jackson’s 1994 drama Heavenly Creatures. She’s also known for TV shows such as Two and a Half Men and, most recently, FX miniseries Mrs. America. But she took to Twitter in 2018 to share about the time she met Reeves at a party.

“A while ago [Keanu Reeves] and I were the introverted ones on the outskirts of a gathering. We talked about animals. He asked if I had any photos of my dog in costume. (I did.) He seemed like a very beautiful soul from that brief interaction. I think he’s a really wonderful actor.”

The timeline of Lynskey and Reeves’ meeting isn’t clear. But still, it’s telling that the actors bonded over their love of animals. After all, Reeves’ entire John Wick franchise kicks off because the character is avenging his puppy. The fact that he took the time to show interest in Lynskey’s own dog only reaffirms the traits Reeves’ fans already admire in him.

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Since launching in 2014, the John Wick series is going strong. Three entries have already hit theaters, with the box office grosses going up each time. And at least two more are in the works already, with John Wick: Chapter 4 scheduled for release in May 2022. But Reeves is tapping into his past too.

Over his career, the actor has headlined three major franchises. One is John Wick, but the other two have also gotten revived, perhaps as a result of the Reeves resurgence. Bill and Ted Face the Music hit theaters in 2020, and the actor will return as Neo in director Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix 4.

The Matrix 4 will release simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max on Dec. 22, 2021.

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