The recent release and success of John Wick: Chapter 4 has steered popular attention towards beloved Hollywood star, Keanu Reeves. While everyone knows him as the industry’s most versatile actor, thanks to his phenomenal performance in renowned franchises like The Matrix, his iconic role as John Wick has reinstated his status as one of the most talented actors of all time.
Reeves, who has maintained his popularity for nearly three decades through his appearance in hit films like Point Break and The Devil’s Advocate, to name but a few, has always attracted media attention. And some coverage of his romantic life has always been churned out despite the actor’s attempts to keep his personal life under wraps.
But popularity sparks curiosity, and Reeves isn’t an exception to this rule. An actor with a swelling fan base, it is not surprising that people are interested to know more about him. And one aspect of his life that is attracting a lot of attention right now is his ethnicity.
What is Reeves’ ethnicity?
Despite the stardom, information about The Matrix star’s ethnic background remains scarce. He was born on Sept. 2, 1964, to an English mother, Patricia Taylor, and his father, Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr., is of Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, Irish, and Chinese descent. Acknowledging his European and Asian heritage in an interview with People, he mentioned his awareness of his diverse ethnic backgrounds, especially his Asian identity saying,
“My relationship to my Asian identity, it’s always been good and healthy. And I love it. We’ve been growing up together.”
However, he’s apparently ambivalent with being identified as a person of color, saying in the same interview, “I don’t know if I agree with that statement. But I don’t not agree.”
Nevertheless, the actor had a dramatic childhood. After splitting up from his father, Reeves and his mother moved to New York, from where they relocated to settle in Canada when he was only seven years old. The actor received Canadian citizenship, and was raised in Ontario prior to his foray into the world of acting.
While in New York, the John Wick star’s mother, Patricia, got married again to Aaron Taylor, who was an American and a major factor in Reeves’ acting career. Speaking about his former stepfather, the actor said,
“He was around for a few years and stayed in contact. He was part of one of the other introductions to show business. I was a PA on one of his movie of the weeks when I was like 15. I wanted to become an actor from probably around when I was 15.”
Adding to the conversation, he mentioned that even though he’s legally Canadian, his connection with his American stepfather helped him acquire a green card.
To sum up, the actor has numerous and diverse identities, and continues to be the leading figure of Hollywood.
