Edward Stockwell
Hollywood can truly be a disgusting swamp filled with poisonous, slimy people. Genuine, down-to-earth people are hard to come by in general and doubly hard in show business.
That’s what makes actor and all around-badass Keanu Reeves so refreshing. Even after a long and storied career, Keanu is still known as one of the great people in Tinsel Town.
Just watch Keanu tell Stephen Colbert what happens to us when we die.
How do you not instantly root for a guy like that? He needs to be preserved in amber and protected at all costs.
Writer James Dator inspired the Internet with his Keanu Reeves story from nearly 20 years ago.
In honor of John Wick 3 I have a Keanu Reeves story.
— James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019
Keanu came to the movie theater I worked at in Sydney in 2001. He was working on the Matrix series at the time. It’s a quiet, Wednesday morning — almost nobody is seeing movies.
— James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019
I’m working the box office, bored as hell and suddenly this dude walks up in jeans, a leather jacket and a horse riding helmet. A full ass, weird equestrian looking helmet. It takes me a solid 30 seconds to ignore the helmet and realize it’s Keanu Reeves
— James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019
He wants to buy a ticket for “From Hell,” the Johnny Depp movie. I’m so fucking star struck I do what any sensible 16-year-old does and tell him I’d like to give him my employee discount. This means he needs to sign my sheet and therefore I have his autograph
— James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019
“I don’t work here,” Keanu says. Seemingly confused by my offer. I’m flustered and just charge him the normal price. Kicking myself after for not getting his autograph
— James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019
2 minutes later there’s a knock on the door behind me that leads into the box office. I assume it’s my manager. It’s Keanu.
— James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019
“I realized you probably wanted my autograph,” he says. “So I signed this.” He hands me a receipt from the concessions stand that he signed on the back. He then casually throws an ice cream cone in the trash can and sees his movie
— James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019
I realize later that he bought an ice cream cone he didn’t want, just to get receipt paper so he could scribble his autograph for a 16-year-old idiot.
— James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019
Naturally, the entire Internet immediately melted on the spot.
Keanu is a genuinely nice guy–and you literally have the receipts ??
— Leonardo Sumulong (@leowulv) May 18, 2019
I love that. What does it cost to remain a real, decent human? Not much…. maybe some carbs.
— Michelle Finneran Dennedy (@mdennedy) May 18, 2019
Shortly after bill and Ted came out, 8 year old me saw him at Newark airport. Went up to him and asked “are you keanu reeves?” “Yea, I am.” He spoke to my older brother and I for 45 minutes and gave us his number. He was awesome to spend that time with. We called but missed him.
— toflo (@tonyflohr) May 18, 2019
Keep on being you, Keanu!
