Hollywood icon Keanu Reeves recently shared a grim perspective on life.
The Matrix star revealed that he thinks about death all the time, especially now that he is almost 60.
Reeves’ personal experiences have heightened his awareness of life’s fleeting nature. In 1993, his close friend, actor River Phoenix, died at just 23 from a drug overdose.
In 1999, Reeves suffered another tragic loss when his girlfriend, Jennifer Syme, gave birth to their stillborn daughter, Ava. Two years later, in 2001, Syme died in a car accident.
In a BBC interview discussing his debut as a published author, Reeves openly acknowledged, “I’m 59, so I’m thinking about death all the time.”
Reeves further said that this contemplation of mortality can make people more appreciative of life and relationships.
He stated, “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.”
Known for his role in John Wick, Reeves has collaborated with British science fiction writer China Miéville on a new novel titled The Book of Elsewhere.
The novel is adapted from Keanu Reeves’ own comic book series titled “BRZRKR” (pronounced “berserker”).
As described by Reeves, The protagonist, “B,” is an 80,000-year-old being who is part-mortal and part-god, burdened by a relentless “curse of violence” that allows him to perform extreme feats like “punch through people’s chests and rip their arms off, rip their heads off,”
The action star revealed The character is inspired by his action film roles.
Keanu Reeves’s John Wick 5 is officially in development and is expected to hit theaters in 2026.
