Keanu Reeves is one of the most famous names in Hollywood and has been for decades. The star is known for his iconic role as Neo in The Matrix, the action sensation John Wick, and a colorful spectrum of others.
If you’re a movie fan, then you’ve most definitely seen Reeves in action, whether it be in a comedy, drama, or just nonstop warfare. There’s something for everyone in Reeves’ catalog, and after experiencing his body of work, you may wonder how he got his start.
For many actors, you can point to one role that thrust them into stardom, and Reeves is no exception. There are plenty of iconic characters he’s taken on over the years, but one in particular majorly kicked things into motion for him.
How did Keanu Reeves become famous?
Keanu Reeves was just five years into his acting career when he caught the big break that would ultimately make him famous. This was his leading role as Ted “Theodore” Logan in the iconic late ‘80s comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
Prior to this film, Reeves had appeared in large productions as well as plenty of TV and ad spots, but nothing put his name into the spotlight like Bill & Ted ⏤ and things only got bigger from there.
After the sequel series, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures, Reeves starred in Point Break, which at the time was his biggest role to date. The trajectory continued upward after that with Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and an array of other successful films including Speed and The Devil’s Advocate.
It was The Matrix that cemented Reeves as one of the most respected actors in Hollywood and a household name. Since then, things have continued to get bigger with the Matrix sequels and more recently the massively popular John Wick franchise.
It’s no secret that Reeves is an incredibly gifted actor, and it all began with Bill & Ted in 1989.
