An Integrated Analysis of Key Concepts in SocSci 11: A Character Profile
KEANU REEVES Group 1: Ang, Chin, Descallar, Pardo, Tomambo
Redemption Story His father spent 10 years in jail for dealing heroin and left the family when Keanu was just 3 years old. His mom took care of him and his sister by herself as the sole breadwinner; she worked as a costume designer and reportedly, as a stripper, to provide for them. He moved from Lebanon to Sydney, Australia to New York, USA to Toronto, Canada while his mother remarried 3 times. He struggled with dyslexia, and a tendency to disobey authority, leading him to drop out of school. He changed high schools 4 times and never finished formal education. He wanted to be a hockey goalie, but he injured his knee. By his early adulthood, his best friend died of a drug overdose, his girlfriend gave birth to a stillborn child, and later died in a car accident, and his sister was diagnosed with leukemia.
Emotion Regulation Despite the many challenges he's faced in his life, especially with the deaths of his loved ones, he takes time off before filming the sequel of the Matrix as he continues to grieve one step at a time. He takes his time grieving, and prioritizes his emotional and mental health over his career. He neither lives in the past nor stops himself from sharing love to the people around him.
Born 2 September 1964, Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor who struggled with school (attending four different high schools) before dropping out to pursue acting. His first professional appearance was in an episode of the 1984 comedy series Hangin’ In. He made his film debut in Youngblood (1986) as a hockey player, and another series he starred in was Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), which unexpectedly became a hit with Box office of 40.5 million USD.
He further starred in more roles, such as in My Own Private Idaho, and was made an action star after the thriller film, Speed (1989). In 1999, he made an even greater breakthrough with the hit sci-fi classic, The Matrix. The critically acclaimed blockbuster launched a successful franchise that included 3 sequels. The role of John Wick (2014) served to be another enduring success for him, and would go on to make more 3 sequels for the series.