No one can ever say Keanu Reeves is a failure. Having overcome adversity after adversity, the Matrix star is now a household name in Hollywood and considered an all-round good guy to boot.
But scratch beneath the surface of Reevesโ positive exterior and thereโs a past that posed many problems others donโt even have to concern themselves with.
Consider the fact that Reeves left school as a teenager, not because he wanted to focus on becoming an actor, but because he wasnโt given a choice in the matter.
Back in 2008, Reeves explained in an interview with the Daily Mail why his high school experience was โdifficultโ.
โI went to four different high schools in five years,โ Reeves said. โI was OK academically, good at English and creative writing. I was on the chess team.โ
Oh, and of course, he excelled in acting. In fact, it was his acting that landed him a place in a performing-arts school. Still, Reeves didnโt fit in.
โIt was a very small school and I guess I didnโt fit in,โ he told the Daily Mail.
โI had conflicts and run-ins with the staff. The principal and I didnโt see eye to eye. I was one of those โWhy?โ kids โ I asked too many questions about everything. I couldnโt stop even if it got me into trouble.
โI wanted my autonomy, and if you wanted to impose something on me, then you and I would have a problem.โ
Before long, Reevesโ attitude got him in trouble he couldnโt get out of. At just 16 years of age, he was expelled.
โItโs a terrible letter to receive, saying you canโt come back to school next year. Getting asked to leave was very upsetting,โ Reeves said.
It transpired, however, to be the driving force he needed to really reach his potential in the acting world. In a different interview, the 55-year-old said: โI started taking acting courses at night.โ
โIt just seemed the thing to do. Most of it was out of respect for acting. I worked at some Stanislavsky stuff and I was playing around with sense memory. I started crashing auditions and then I got some jobs and joined the community theater. Then I got an agent.โ
From those humble beginnings, Reeves has grown into a global phenomenon. Known for major roles in The Matrix series and, more recently, John Wick, heโs carved out a career to match the very best.
Not only that, but his philanthropy is the stuff of legend, too.
I know I canโt be the only fan of Keanu Reeves, both for his acting and for the way he conducts himself like a true gent.
Share this article if you, too, like Keanu and feel inspired by his story.
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