Keanu Reeves has made a name for himself from his starring roles in movies like John Wick, The Matrix, and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. While fans of this action star never have to question his acting abilities, one thing his fans have wondered about is his ethnic heritage. With his unique and distinguishable features, just what is Keanu Reeve’s ethnicity?
Born in 1964, Reeves was welcomed to the world in Beirut, Lebanon. While his roots lie in this middle-eastern country, Reeves was mainly raised in Toronto, Canda. As for Reeves’ heritage, his mother is of British descent and his father is a combination of a British, Chinese, Portuguese, and Native Hawaiian heritage. That being said, Reeve’s ethnic heritage is quite a cultural blend with the places he has lived, his parents’ backgrounds, and his current home of Los Angeles.
Keanu Reeves and His History As a Hollywood Star
From learning about his culturally-diverse upbringing, it’s evident that Reeves has surely lived an interesting life. For a generous portion of his life, the star has been in the Hollywood spotlight. After he landed his first major role as Ted in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Reeves’ skyrocketed into success in the world of acting.
After completing his first major role, Reeves was mostly seen in action films in the ‘90s such as Speed and The Matrix. While he’s well-known movies in this genre, he isn’t limited to what roles he can do. Reeves has made appearances in comedies like Always Be My Maybe, and even romantic films like The Lake House and Sweet November. Just when you think this actor couldn’t get any more interesting, he does.
Surprising Facts About Keanu Reeves
- Born: September 2, 1964
- Nationality: Canadian
- Place of Birth: Beirut, Lebanon
- Parents: Patricia & Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr
- Years Active as an Actor: 1984-present
As we’ve discovered thus far, Reeves is quite the well-rounded individual. Not only does his rich cultural ethnic heritage contribute to his compelling nature, but he has quite a few interesting facts about him as well.
For example, Reeves has published books of his own poetry. In a 2011 collaboration with artist Alexandra Grant, Ode to Happiness was published. This limited-run book featured a poem written by Reeves and accompanied by Grant’s illustrations for each line. Not too long after, the two worked on another book, Shadows, in 2016.
Keanu Reeves isn’t only talented in acting and writing, though, as he kept busy with
Hockey as a kid. Reeves played Hockey through school and even ended up being a co-coach for a hockey club. This love for ice hockey carried over into his acting career, though, as he portrayed a hockey pro in 1986’s Youngblood.
All in all, it’s clear that Keanu Reeves is as diverse and nuanced as his ethnic heritage.