‘Keanu Reeves’ Unspoken Truth: His Thoughts on Death

Keanu Charles Reeves, a celebrated Canadian actor and musician, has captivated audiences for over four decades with his exceptional talent. Recognized for his remarkable contributions to cinema, Reeves was honored as the fourth-greatest actor of the 21st century by The New York Times in 2020.

Further cementing his global influence, Time magazine included him in their 2022 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. His career is a testament to his enduring impact and versatility in the entertainment industry.

Charles has shared that he constantly thinks about death.

While many of us steer clear of contemplating death, Keanu Reeves embraces it openly.

“I’m 59, so I’m thinking about death all the time,” the Hollywood megastar has revealed.”

That’s a good thing, he adds.

“Hopefully it’s not crippling, but hopefully it’s sensitized [us] to an appreciation of the breath we have, and the relationships that we have the potential to have.”

The reason we’re discussing life and death with ‘The Matrix’ star isn’t because he has a new blockbuster to promote.

This time, he’s here with his debut novel, ‘The Book of Elsewhere’. Co-written with British author China Miéville, the book tells the story of an immortal warrior who yearns to experience death.

We meet Reeves and Miéville in a dimly lit hotel bar in central London. Although the Canadian actor, who now lives in Hollywood, is busy with his Dogstar band, he takes time out to meet us between their gigs.

The previous night, the band performed in Manchester, so Reeves appears a bit weary as we start the 30-minute interview.

Despite his tiredness, his enthusiasm for his novel is evident. ‘The Book of Elsewhere’ is inspired by the highly successful BRZRKR comic book series created by Reeves.

Released in 2021, BRZRKR—pronounced “berserker” for those unfamiliar—is set to be adapted into a live-action film for Netflix starring Reeves, along with an anime series.

For Reeves, comic books have a special appeal.

“I love the images,” he said. “I love words and storytelling and I love the way that you can have this engagement that overlays. And so you can look at the art and then you can follow the story.”

The main character in the story is simply called “B.” With his long dark hair, B bears a resemblance to Reeves.

When the comic book was first released, some fans noticed thematic parallels between B and Reeves, such as a challenging personal life.

Reeves has experienced significant losses, including his girlfriend, their stillborn daughter, and his best friend. However, beyond these similarities, the parallels may end there.

B is 80,000 years old, a half-mortal and half-god with a “curse of violence,” a stark contrast to Reeves. The actor, celebrated for his kind and soft-spoken nature, is often regarded as one of the nicest individuals in Hollywood.

In contrast, B is a character capable of “punching through people’s chests, tearing off their arms, and ripping off their heads,” as Reeves describes.

So, where does such brutality originate from?

“I think it was influenced by some of the action films that I had done,” said Reeves, who has also starred in the Speed and John Wick franchises.

The comic book received generally favorable reviews upon its release, so Reeves and Miéville will be aiming to achieve similar success with their adaptation.

In Flickering Myth, Calum Petrie awarded it seven out of 10 stars, writing that it was “enjoyable” but also “a bit more on the gory side than I am used to in a lot of comics”.

It was given 9.5 stars by Justin Harrison in AIPT Comics, who praised it as “excellent” and “intriguing” while also cautioning readers about the violence it depicts.

There’s no denying the book is violent. It starts with a shooting and then describes the messy aftermath.

We asked Reeves about the often-discussed connection between violence in books, movies, and real life.

For a moment, he seems defensive.

“I hope if they read BRZRKR, that they don’t go out and start ripping people’s arms off and chopping their heads off,” he said.

“Because there’s also a love story in it. But if you do read it, I hope maybe you can find love if you don’t have it.”

Miéville also argued against the idea that violence depicted in media has a direct link to real-world violence.

“I get quite irritated about how this question is posed,” he said.

“It’s so clearly a kind of cultural scapegoating,” he added. “I think the idea of looking at video games and movies and so on, it’s just a way of exonerating the people who are really profiting from the violence.”

Given that he’s created an entire fantasy universe, one might question if Reeves is attempting to escape from reality.

“Maybe ultimately the fantasy of building another world brings some kind of comfort in some way,” he admits.

“There’s something ultimately about the creative gesture that comes from pain,” he added.

“Creating stuff is great. Just creating, sharing, and hopefully people like the stories that we tell.”

If the book succeeds, what will Reeves do with the earnings?

Known for his generosity and his reported aversion to material possessions, many have speculated about his intentions.

However, as our interview wraps up, Reeves seems to challenge this notion.

“I love owning things, I love having stuff,” he said.

“I’m certainly not going to present myself as someone who gives everything away.”

The Book of Elsewhere is published on 23 July by Penguin.

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