It turns out that one of his movie roles had a negative impact on his health.
In the entertainment business, cigarettes have long been used as a symbolic prop to represent problematic people and to give movies and TV programs an edge. The attraction of these cancer-causing vices goes beyond the camera, from Jennifer Lopez’s on-screen puffing to James Gandolfini’s unfiltered Lucky Strikes.
On the other hand, even though renowned actor Keanu Reeves is well recognized for his sincere kindness, a particular movie role caused him to lose the ability to distinguish between truth and fiction, which eventually led to smoking addiction.
Reeves, who is frequently praised as the personification of humility and friendliness, has established a devoted following as a result of his down-to-earth demeanor and charitable activities. He has persevered through personal adversity while maintaining his composure in the face of incredible fame and money.
Despite having a sizable net worth, he lives a simple life and is frequently in the news for his random acts of generosity. The actor has unquestionably earned his image as an actor who deserves enormous love from his fans, whether it is by giving up his seat on the metro or covertly starting a hidden cancer foundation.
In addition, Reeves stands out from his peers by displaying a steadfast dedication to his profession that is unaffected by material temptations. On several projects, he has even declined his own compensation in order to ensure the effective completion of them under the allocated budget.
However, there exists a stark contrast between Reeves’s real-life persona and the characters he often embodies on-screen. Even while he has played humorous characters like Ted in “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” his most well-known parts tend to lean toward the sinister and macabre.
Although Reeves’s depiction of Neo in the “Matrix” franchise cemented his status as an action star, his proposal was set inside the menacing “John Wick” franchise, adding poignancy to a moment that was already depressing. Reeves suggested an even darker turn as John Wick, a retired hitman seeking retribution for the gruesome killing of his dog and the theft of his prized relic from his late wife.
He added a disturbing level of intricacy to the character by advising the targeted woman to choose suicide rather than become another victim of Wick’s wrath. Surprisingly, Reeves’ path to smoking addiction wasn’t paved by one of his infamous bad-boy portrayals.
In a revealing interview with the Daily Mail, the actor disclosed that he began smoking at the age of 30 while working on one of his lesser-known and critically panned films. In the comedy-drama “Feeling Minnesota,” released in 1996, Reeves played Jjaks Clayton, a guy embroiled in a tumultuous romance with his brother’s fiancée, a stripper played by Cameron Diaz.
The movie unexpectedly left an enduring impression on Reeves despite receiving a mere 5.4 out of 10 on IMDb and failing to impact the box office significantly. When asked if there was anything he wished to give up, Reeves candidly confessed, “Smoking. I didn’t even start until I was 30. I got hooked making Feeling Minnesota, and now it’s a prison, but I want to stop.”
Reeves’ commitment to his profession, his absorption in difficult and nuanced parts, and the particular circumstances of the “Feeling Minnesota” production acted as the spark for his smoking habit. Fans can now realize the lengths Reeves goes to for his craft, even when the borders between fiction and reality blur in a haze of smoke, as they continue to respect his unmatched brilliance and compassion.