Shocking Facts About Keanu Reeves Fans Do Not Know About

Since the time Keanu Reeveshit Hollywood in the '80s, he has engraved himself in the hearts of fans as one of the greats. On the big screen, the Canadian-raised actor has saved humanity from robot invasion, as evidenced in "The Matrix," kept a doomed bus from going under 50mph in "Speed," and delivered himself from school and military damnation in "Bill And Ted." He also avenged the death of his cute dog in "John Wick."

It'll appear that his fame and popularity will increase as the years go by. He has shown a lot of range through the roles he's taken on–whether trying out new stunts or venturing into the world of comic creation; Reeves steadily displays that there's no limit to what he can achieve.

However, for the time Reeves has been in the spotlight, he has managed to dispel a lot of public attention. For someone of his caliber, he remains far more private and enigmatic than many other celebrities.

He has become evasive in interviews, uncompliant for the paparazzi flashbulbs, and has generally maintained an aura of mystery around himself.

However, despite Reaves' attempts to remain mysterious, few details about the actor have managed to slip out.

After his debut role in "Hangin' In," he got more roles and even got an agent named Tracey Moore. However, she had some advice for him, which would help him in the acting industry.

One of them was to take showers frequently. He didn't put much effort into his hygiene, and that in itself was a problem. Per Robbs' autobiography, Reeves was scatterbrained, so showering wasn't on the top of his list of priorities.

"We didn't want him to be remembered as a smelly, sloppy kid," Moore said. "His attitude was that it didn't have anything to do with his acting ability."

After following that advice, he got called to audition for a TV series, "Young Again." As a result, he worked his way into different projects and became the iconic actor he is today.

Reeves tried his hands on many things in the debut of his acting career. One of them involved getting a role as a cyclist in a Coca-Cola commercial. 

In the commercial, which can be found on YouTube, Reeves was up against a villainous Russian cyclist.

On a session of "The Late Show with James Corden," host James Corden had Reeves watch the old commercial and reminisced his memories of filming it. "I had so many Coca-Colas," Reeves explained. 

He also shared that the commercial "took three days to film" and that he shaved his "legs to look more believable as a cyclist."

"Speed" was one of Reeves' breakout hits, coming shortly after "Point Break." This proved that he could be a bonafide action star and double as a guy with short hair. Director Of "Speed," Jan de Bont asked Reeves to trim his trademark long hair, to which he responded by shaving his head bald.

"Speed" was one of the greatest movies of 1994, so when 20th Century Fox decided to produce a sequel, they were prepared to give Reeves a lumpy sum of $11 million. However, Reeves rejected the offer, opting instead to take some time off from film, tour with his band, and do some theater.

While Reeves probably doesn't regret his decision, he has explained in previous interviews that had he been appealed to a few minutes after; he might've agreed to do the movie. He also claimed to remind de Bont, "You know, boats aren't that fast."

Reeves has been quoted several times saying, "Money is the last thing I think about. I could live on what I have already made for the next few centuries."

Regardless of the statement's veracity, the quotes seem to express how he feels about giving. Reeves has single-handedly supported medical research programs and organizations like the SickKids Foundation, one of the largest pediatric foundations in the world, and StandUp to Cancer.

Additionally, Reeves has established his cancer organization but refused to attach his name to it. This could presumably be that his involvement doesn't overshadow its purpose. However, there's a sentimental reason for all this– Reeves once shared in an interview that his sister, Kim, battled leukemia for years.

According to The Sun, Reeves became her primary caregiver in the early '90s, helping to nurse her back to life while he put his acting career on hold.

"She was always there for me, you know. I will always be here for her."