Baby Keanu 

 
Wolfboy poster 

 
Keanu in River's Edge   

 
Keanu as a bass player

Keanu Charles Reeves was born September 2, 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon, to Samuel Nowlin Reeves (half-Hawaiian, half-Chinese) and Patricia (English). Keanu (Key-ah-nu) means "cool breeze over the mountains" in Hawaiian. 

Keanu attended Jesse Ketchum Public School in Toronto from kindergarten through the eighth grade, and attended four high schools (including De La Salle College and the Toronto School for the Performing Arts) before dropping out completely at age 17. 

Keanu took on lots of different jobs, including sharpening skates at an ice rink shop (he's an avid hockey player), landscaping, and making pasta (and managing the place to boot!). Then came some stage work (most notably - and notoriously - Wolfboy in 1984, his stage debut) and some bit parts on TV. His motion picture debut was in Dream To Believe in Canada but it [reportedly] was the 1986 TV movie Under the Influence that earned him his SAG union card. 

Keanu's first big feature film debut in a US film was in Young Blood in which he had a small part. 

Keanu hit the road for Hollywood in 1986 with $3,000, an old Volvo, and his stepfather Paul Aaron's address. A few name changes followed as "Keanu" was considered by his manager to be too exotic. They settled on K.C.Reeves, but it was short-lived. Keanu it was, and Keanu it was going to be. 

Keanu soon landed River's Edge, arguably one of his best roles ever. A string of movies followed as the troubled (or misfit) teen. His parts continued to grow, and then he started attracting the eye of more mainstream directors. Keanu 's acting would become big business in the USA. 

Keanu's love for music also started at an early age, however, he didn't begin playing the bass until he was twenty-three. Self taught, except for one lesson, he would spend hours a day picking away at the four-stringed bass. Meeting Rob in 1991 lead to his first band experience jamming in his garage, and eventually playing some live shows, then on to what we all know today.

Want to know more about Keanu, read the BOOKS about him.