Keanu Reeves is one of the most talked-about stars in Hollywood today. He’s handsome, successful, and makes great movies. Most importantly of all, he seems like a good human being. But while film fans love him, what about his co-stars? Well, Halle Berry has opened up about working with the great man. And what she said left some fans at a loss for words.
John and Sofia
Berry worked with Reeves on John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum. He played the title character, as Keanu fans everywhere will know, and Berry portrayed his equally dog-loving friend Sofia.
And the movie was a big hit, getting positive reviews from the critics and raking in more than $326 million at the box office. But, of course, some of that involved the pair's on-screen chemistry. So, naturally, fans wanted to know: were they close off-set, too?
Sizzling on screen
You'd hope so, seeing as Reeves has gained a reputation for being a good guy.
It's no secret that he's had great working relationships and friendships with his former female co-stars. Some of them even sing his praises to this day.
Potential love interest
Take his Speed co-star Sandra Bullock, for example. Though she’s been romantically linked with Reeves before, the pair never actually dated.
In 2018, Bullock said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, “There was something about me I guess [Reeves] didn’t like.” Despite that, she also mentioned how “sweet” and “handsome” he was.
Universally loved
Bullock brought that subject up again in a 2021 interview with Esquire, where she mused that she and Reeves “could have survived” as a couple if things had ever gone that way. “Keanu’s a guy who, I feel like, is friends with every woman he’s ever dated.
So I don’t think there’s anyone who has something horrible to say about him,” she added. But would she ever be proven wrong?
Lasting friendship
In any case, Reeves has a lot of love for Bullock as well. In 2014 the actor did an AMA interview on Reddit. And when asked about the biggest movie star he was friends with, he answered, “Uh...
Sandra Bullock! Yeah, through the years, we kinda get together, have a dinner, catch up, see how it’s going.”
What could have been
Interestingly, Halle Berry nearly beat out Bullock for a leading role. “I don’t know if you know this, but I was offered Speed before Sandra Bullock. I stupidly said no.
But in my defense, when I read the script, the bus didn’t leave the parking lot,” Berry told Entertainment Tonight in 2019.
Inexplicable
But maybe Reeves and Bullock would have been friends no matter what.
The pair also starred in The Lake House, and Reeves told Entertainment Weekly while promoting the movie, “I can’t explain in words why Sandra and I have chemistry on-screen or why we work well together. We just do, and I’m glad because I like her tremendously as a person.”
Soul friendship
Bullock’s not the only one to love the good guy of Hollywood. Reeves is great buddies with his Matrix co-star Carrie Anne Moss as well.
In 2021, just before The Matrix Resurrections came out, Moss told Entertainment Weekly, “We’ve been through this experience together as partners. The only way I can describe it is like a soul friendship.”
Brotherhood
And if you think Reeves doesn’t get on with men, you’re wrong. His Bill & Ted co-star Alex Winter certainly holds him in high regard. Speaking to The New York Times in 2020, Winter was touchingly complimentary.
He explained that while most people who say “we’re like a family” on a movie set don’t mean it, he genuinely did think of Reeves as a brother.
Generosity
So those are the thoughts of Reeves’ co-workers. But what about the folks who aren’t famous, whose names aren’t on the posters? No surprise to hear that they have lovely things to say about him.
When Reeves was working on The Matrix, he gifted every member of his stunt team brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycles. That’s one way to get into people’s good books!
The nicest guy in Hollywood
And then there are all the sweet stories about Reeves interacting with random fans and strangers.
We have tales of the actor doing everything from giving up his seat on the subway to organizing a road trip with fellow passengers after their plane made an emergency landing.
The John Wick 3 stars
But what was he like on the set of John Wick 3?
Aside from Berry’s take, we have a few other revealing insights into his behavior when the cameras weren’t rolling. Every little thing Reeves does tends to get reported in the press.
Reputation
In 2019, For The Win asked John Wick 3 stars to share the nicest thing Reeves had done for any of them on set.
And there were lots of great answers. Ian McShane, for example, remembered that Reeves would bring him cups of tea.
All true
And Mark Dacascos, who played Zero in the film, said of Reeves, “He’s so kind and humble and collaborative and welcoming. All the good things you hear about Keanu, they’re true.” Asia Kate Dillon agreed. Had Reeves never had a personality clash with anyone?
All his co-workers seemed to love him. But Halle Berry may not have had as good a time as others on the John Wick 3 set.
Grueling training
Berry’s role was challenging and required lots of stunts. In 2019 she told Extra that she had undergone “hours and hours of stunt training.”
On top of that, she added, “It’s gun training, it’s dog training, then it’s just strength training on top of that with my trainer, and it’s watching my diet.”
Determination
The actress was determined to do it, though. Berry wanted to be in John Wick 3 before the script had even been written.
According to the film’s director Chad Stahelski, she had turned up at his office one day — never having met him before — and asked for a role.
Jumping straight in
Five months later, Stahelski called Berry and offered her the part of Sofia. And she was incredibly enthusiastic on set.
The director told Entertainment Weekly in 2017, “She came in, first day, jumped right in. [She] finished going, ‘Yeah, that was tough. What time do we start tomorrow?’”
Learning stunts
Berry was more than happy to do the tough stuff. “I’ve done action before, but wow, there’s nothing like this,” she told The Koalition in 2019. “I’ve never trained this hard.
I’ve never worked in the way that Chad and Keanu work, and I’ve certainly never had 12 guys coming for me all at once!”
Ageism
Most of all, Berry wanted to prove she could still be an action star in middle age. “I know that I am of this certain age, and I think it’s really important that, as women, we kick this ageism in the face.
I’m so tired of being defined by a number, and this was a great way for me to use my art form to make that statement,” she explained during a 2019 interview with TNP.
Unfortunate accident
But unfortunately, despite all the training, Berry sustained a significant injury during the John Wick 3 shoot. While working to keep up with Reeves in the stunt scenes, she realized she wasn’t breathing correctly.
It was a terrifying situation, even though it had happened without her feeling any pain. Ultimately, it turned out that Berry had broken three of her ribs.
Sudden terror
The star recalled to Variety, “I thought I had bone cancer. I thought it was early osteoporosis. I couldn’t understand why this was happening to me when I was really physically fit.”
She later realized that because of her diabetes, her bones were liable to break more easily.
Struggling on
Because of her nasty injury, Berry feared her role in the movie could be given to someone else. Luckily, that didn’t happen.
Even though the actress was willing to work with three broken ribs, Stahelski dealt with the situation while his star took some time to recover.
Keeping up
Berry spoke about that incident to Extra as well. She had been motivated to go to extremes, she said, because she had wanted to impress Reeves.
“He’s so damn good, and I wanted to be on the same level as him. I didn’t want to disappoint him,” she said, charmingly.
Always professional
Luckily, there’s no indication that she did. In fact, Berry and Reeves seemed to get on very well on the John Wick set.
Berry said to For the Win, “He never had one fit on the set, never had one tantrum, and he always came out of his trailer on time.”
Hard worker
Berry also paid tribute to Reeves on Instagram when he had his handprint ceremony in 2019.
She wrote, “A huge congratulations to my #WorkCrushWednesday & @johnwickmovie partner in crime #KeanuReeves for being immortalized today in front of Hollywood’s Chinese Theater. A well-deserved honor for one of the hardest working actors I’ve ever met!”
An inspiration
And Reeves clearly likes Berry just as much.
While chatting to the press to promote John Wick 3, Berry said she’d wanted to “earn the right to be in the same room as Keanu.” Reeves immediately said in response, “Oh, come on, Halle, you’re an inspiration.”
Something else
That wasn’t all he said about his co-star. Reeves told Berry at that press conference, “When you come on screen, there’s an authenticity, an intimacy, a strength. But there’s mystery. There’s always a mystery to you.”
And he said to the audience, “She’s speaking her truth. She’s right there, present, but there’s something else.”
Dating?
Was that “something else” an attraction? After John Wick 3 came out, rumors suddenly started circulating about Reeves and Berry and the possibility they were dating.
But Reeves tends to remain quiet about his private life, so no confirmation came from the actor himself. In fact, only folks who claimed to have an inside connection said anything on the matter.
More than friends?
One of those alleged insiders spoke to Life & Style before the movie came out. They said, “Halle and Keanu are dating. They started seeing each other even before they began filming.
As soon as they started getting to know each other, they realized there was something there that was stronger than a friendship.”
Keeping it quiet
This person claimed that Berry and Reeves were keeping their romance “on the down-low for now,” but that it was “only a matter of time until they go public.” They added, “Keanu is totally Halle’s type. She likes that he’s very mysterious, introspective, and down-to-earth.
He’s not about the whole Hollywood spotlight thing. She finds that very attractive — and, of course, she thinks he’s super handsome.”
Premature
But a month later, a different source denied those claims. “[Berry and Reeves] absolutely have amazing chemistry, but that hasn’t led to any official dating or any type of relationship between the two.
To say something is brewing between the two romantically would be premature,” the anonymous individual told Hollywood Life.
Not so fast
This insider went on, “[Reeves and Berry] still do have a lot of time to work with each other, so we will see what happens down the line. But to say they are in a relationship or starting one would be something that hasn’t blossomed as of yet...
[Still], they have a lot more time to work with each other, so maybe sparks will fly from their current connection.”
Rumor explosion
That didn’t stop the rumor mill. In 2019 an anonymous source told the National Enquirer, “Halle’s been hot for Keanu for years, and her dreams came true when their mutual pal Daniel Craig introduced them a couple of years ago.
They had a ton of chemistry, and now that the film is in the can, they’ve been flirting up a storm in texts and emails.”
James Bond gets involved
The insider claimed that Craig and his wife Rachel Weisz were “doing their best to play Cupid” for Reeves and Berry and were “convinced they’ve made a good match.” Online fact-checkers were quick to debunk this, though.
Gossip Cop spoke to one of Craig’s reps and was told there was “no truth” to the story.
Spinoff possibility
Unfortunately, Berry won’t be in the next John Wick movie, either. But there’s absolutely nothing to say that she and Reeves aren’t still good friends.
And Berry wants to keep playing Sofia in the action franchise. In fact, she’d quite like for her character to get her own spinoff movie.
Healing a sore
In early 2022 Berry told IGN that Sofia “might not be in John Wick, but she might be doing her own thingy-thingy.”
She added that she thought getting her own spinoff would be “putting some ointment on a little sore” — a reference to how a planned movie for her James Bond character had ended up canceled.
Director’s chair
In the meantime, Berry’s been working on getting behind the camera rather than in front of it. After her time on John Wick 3 was done, she began shooting her directorial debut, Bruised, in which she also starred as an MMA fighter.
This was another very tough shoot, and she credited her experiences on the John Wick set for getting her through it.
Surviving the tough times
Berry told Extra that she may not have considered even doing Bruised without getting to hone her skills on John Wick 3.
Those three broken ribs she received, she said, were a “badge of honor” for her. “It was through surviving John Wick training [that] I knew I was capable,” she added.
Reeves’ new love
But what about Reeves? Well, if you were still secretly hoping there really was a thing between him and Berry, you’re out of luck.
In 2019 it transpired that he had a new girlfriend: artist Alexandra Grant. And while they’re a very private couple, they seem super happy together so far.
The couple's bombshell debut
Social media erupted, too, when photos emerged of Reeves happily posing on the red carpet with Grant.
At the time, the pair were attending the Art + Film Gala at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), which has showcased several of his partner’s collections. And it turns out that the couple’s relationship goes way back.
One surprising detail
In fact, it’s thought Reeves and his partner have been good friends since the late 2000s. Over the years, though, their once-platonic connection obviously grew into something more romantic.
But why exactly has the John Wick star’s flame got everyone’s tongues wagging?
Keeps romance low profile
Keanu Reeves has been famously secretive about his life away from the cameras ever since he began his film career in the mid-1980s.
However, admirers of the actor may have heard that he once entered into a three-year relationship with one of his first big-screen co-stars. Apparently, Reeves began dating Jill Schoelen after they appeared together in Babes in Toyland.
Whispers of something more
Yet while Schoelen moved on to have a brief engagement with Brad Pitt following her split with Reeves, the actor himself appeared to have enjoyed the single life. That said, there were a few rumored romances.
In 1992 Reeves supposedly began stepping out with Sofia Coppola, whose father, Francis, had directed Reeves film Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This relationship has never been confirmed, mind you.
Technically married
In fact, Reeves even got ‘married’ while shooting the horror movie – although the wedding is unlikely to be officially recognized anywhere outside of the Romanian film set.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2018, co-star Winona Ryder recalled the moment when her and Reeves’ characters walked down the aisle – and she made the startling claim that the pair could be husband and wife for real.
Joking with Winona
Ryder explained, “In that scene, Francis used a real Romanian priest. We shot the master, and he did the whole thing. So I think we’re married.” Reeves, who was also being interviewed at the time, initially expressed his surprise at this recollection.
After Ryder jogged his memory a bit further, though, the star jokingly relented, saying, “Oh my gosh, we’re married.”
His serious heartbreak
Yet while Reeves’ most serious relationship to date appears to have been with actress Jennifer Syme, their time together ended in tragedy. The pair first began dating in 1999, with Syme falling pregnant not long after.
Sadly, though, Ava Archer Syme-Reeves arrived stillborn on Christmas Eve later that same year. This loss understandably put a strain on the pair’s relationship, and by early 2000 they’d agreed to split.
Tragedy struck
Still, Reeves and Syme continued to stay in touch over the following year. In fact, according to reports, the pair enjoyed brunch together in April 2001 – and just 24 hours before tragedy struck once again.
Shockingly, less than 18 months after the death of her firstborn, Syme also lost her own life.
Taking time to grieve
Syme had been driving down Cahuenga Boulevard in Los Angeles on her own. She seemingly lost control of her vehicle and reportedly passed away at the scene. Police later discovered prescription medicine in Syme’s car.
Under the shadow of this loss, an understandably distraught Reeves put his work commitments on hold to deal with his grief.
He needed a break
The star had been set to film both The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions back to back when the fatal accident occurred.
And guitarist Bret Domrose – who has played with Reeves in grunge outfit Dogstar – would go on to claim that his bandmate needed “peace and time” before resuming his career.
Channeling his grief
Years later, Reeves discussed channeling this sense of grief while working on the original John Wick. In 2019 he told The Guardian, “For the character and in life, it’s about the love of the person you’re grieving for, and any time you can keep company with that fire, it is warm.
I absolutely relate to that, and I don’t think you ever work through it. Grief and loss – those are things that don’t ever go away. They stay with you.”
Romance rumors reignite
Reeves was also later linked to Clare Forlani – his co-star in 1997 biographical drama The Last Time I Committed Suicide. In fact, the pair were rumored to have got engaged during an apparent three-year relationship in the mid-’00s.
During a 2006 interview with the New York Daily News, however, Reeves claimed that he and Forlani had only ever been good friends.
Another flame?
Another celebrity to have become attached to Reeves romantically was actress and model China Chow in 2008. And, in fact, the Burn Notice star may have become accustomed to sharing the limelight with high-profile beaus.
Reportedly, Chow has dated such A-listers as Mark Wahlberg, Jared Leto and Steve Coogan over the years.
Stepping out in a major way
More recently, though, Reeves’ love life has appeared to be relatively uneventful. And that’s precisely why so many fans were left shocked when he appeared on the red carpet in 2019 with a mystery date. But the woman in question didn’t remain an enigma for long – and many people thought that she looked strangely familiar.
It has since emerged that Alexandra Grant had been a part of Reeves’ life for a good ten years. So, who is the star’s new flame?
Who is Alexandra Grant?
Originating from Ohio but now living in Los Angeles, Grant studied history and studio art at Swarthmore College. Then, after graduating in 1994, she began to make a name for herself on the American art scene.
And Grant is particularly renowned for her paintings, sculptures and multimedia works that are inspired by the spoken word and dialogues with fellow creatives.
She's no stranger to showbiz
It’s worth noting, too, that Grant has also had experience in the film world. In 2015, for example, she took the director’s chair for the first time to shoot a 60-minute documentary entitled Taking Lena Home.
Created as part of Grant’s time in residence at Omaha’s Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, the movie focused on the recovery of a tombstone that had been unlawfully taken from the state of Nebraska. Many have apparently also spotted that Grant bears a striking resemblance to another Hollywood A-lister; none other than Helen Mirren!
She has an interesting background
Grant has had a passion for languages from an early age, too, having spent a portion of her youth in France, Spain and Mexico.
She’s also had her work shown at venues such as New York’s Harris Lieberman Gallery, Paris’ Galerie Gradiva and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. And, of course, it was during her gala appearance with Reeves at LACMA that Grant’s profile skyrocketed.
They've known each other for a while
Grant has known Reeves for quite some time, however. In fact, as far back as 2011, the pair worked together on Ode to Happiness – a picture book aimed at an adult audience.
Their collaboration proved to be so well-received, moreover, that the pair decided to join forces again in 2016 on second book Shadows.
She spoke very highly of him
And Reeves and Grant certainly appeared to enjoy each other’s company. They were pictured together for the Spanish edition of Vogue, for instance, and attended numerous book signings as a duo.
In addition, Grant couldn’t stop gushing about the actor in interviews to promote Shadows – a book that combined her silhouette photography with his poetic words.
They share a deeper connection
“No one can move the way he can,” Grant enthused in a 2016 chat with the Los Angeles Times. “He’s a really extreme performer. That’s a huge piece of why those images are so interesting.
I knew that if I moved the camera as we danced together, as photographer and subject, we could create these wonderful optical illusions.”
A reporter picked up on their chemistry
Reeves was also present for this particular interview. And the Los Angeles Times journalist asking the questions certainly appeared to recognize that there was perhaps more than meets the eye to his relationship with Grant.
In the piece, the reporter remarks, “In conversation, the two friends share an easy rapport and speak in a comfortable shorthand fueled by inside jokes and knowing smiles.”
They enjoy a bit of debate
Meanwhile, in another 2016 interview with W magazine, Grant discussed how she and Reeves inspire each other when collaborating. She said, “We can spend a lot of time debating. Like, ‘A raspberry hue? And should it be darker?’ We can get obsessive.”
And in 2017 the pair founded X Artist Books – a publishing company focusing on “unusual collaborations” and work falling between genres that may struggle to find a home elsewhere.
From the professional to something more
However, Grant and Reeves’ professional relationship gradually appeared to evolve into a full-blown romantic one.
In May 2019, for example, the pair were pictured on the red carpet at a Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) benefit show held at the Geffen Contemporary site in Los Angeles. And they seemingly couldn’t stop beaming as they posed for photos together.
Pictured holding hands
Then, a month later, Grant and Reeves were pictured clutching hands at the Saint Laurent Men’s Spring/Summer 20 event at Malibu’s Paradise Cove.
And in October that same year, the couple were spotted in a loving embrace as they left a Hollywood eaterie.
Confirmed the truth
What’s more, an unnamed source confirmed to People magazine that the pair were no longer just friends. In November 2019 they said, “[Reeves and Grant] started dating earlier this year, but [they] have wanted to keep it quiet.
Keanu wants to openly share his life with her. He is extremely happy and grateful to have Alex in his life.”
The news stunned fans
Yet Grant and Reeves’ surprising willingness to engage in some PDA went largely unnoticed until they stepped out at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in November 2019.
And social media duly went into meltdown after pictures emerged of the pair once again holding hands on the red carpet. It wasn’t just the fact that the famously private Reeves was being openly affectionate that got tongues wagging, however.
An age-appropriate match
You see, much of the talk on Twitter centered around the fact that, unlike many of his Hollywood peers, Reeves was dating someone who was considered age-appropriate.
And while admittedly Grant is still nine years younger than the much-loved actor, a month previously 65-year-old Dennis Quaid had announced his engagement to Laura Savoie – a Ph.D. student 39 years his junior.
He cemented his decent reputation
One particularly supportive fan tweeted, “It’s a miracle: Hollywood actor dates age-appropriately. An artist with a full head of grey hair to boot. Keanu, I could not love you more at this moment.”
Another wrote, “Just when I didn’t think he could get more wholesome, Keanu dates within his age group despite his peers often dating young women. Fantastic man.”
Finding happiness
By the same token, some were just genuinely pleased that one of Hollywood’s nicest guys had finally found someone to settle down with.
One Twitter user posted, “I don’t know him, but am I really happy that Keanu Reeves has found someone to be happy with? Too right I am. Keanu is a blessing to us all and deserves all the happiness.”
But not everyone was impressed
In addition, Reeves was praised by another approving fan on the social media platform for dating a “smart, creative, independent woman.” However, not everyone was as enthusiastic about the actor’s red-carpet appearance with Grant.
“Keanu Reeves’ girlfriend is a decade younger than him – not ‘the same age,’” one unimpressed Twitter user pointed out.
Wishing them well
“People really need to stop freaking out about Keanu and Alexandra,” wrote another in agreement. “Dating someone in your age bracket isn’t courageous; it’s f**king normal.
He’s proven time and time again he’s a regular guy. Let’s stop with this amazement about who he’s dating and wish them both well.”
Focusing on age
Similarly, others bemoaned the fact that Grant’s age had come into the equation at all. One Twitter user wrote, “Is the most fascinating thing to talk about Alexandra Grant really her age? She’s a highly accomplished artist, a philanthropist and a babe.
Can she please not be reduced to ‘Keanu’s age-appropriate girlfriend?’ She’s a spectacular woman in her own right; he’s lucky to be her man.”
Controversial opinions
However, at least these comments were still supportive, as other less positive Twitter users were equally quick to make derisive remarks about Grant’s appearance. “Men age like wine; women age like milk,” read one particularly cruel tweet.
“Keanu deserves a kind girl in their 20s or 30s at the latest, not a great-grandma” was another.
Resemblance to another star
And the negative comments continued. “What is this? He should be bagging hot, young, feminine women, not some old, tattooed feminist,” carped one poster.
Many also remarked upon Grant’s resemblance to a significantly older Oscar-winning actress. “Saw the photos and legit thought Keanu was dating Helen Mirren,” read one such post.
Even Mirren saw it
Remarkably, Helen Mirren herself actually commented on the comparisons during a red carpet chat at the Big Apple premiere for her film The Good Liar.
The 74-year-old actress admitted, too, that she was delighted to be mentioned in the same breath as Grant. She told Entertainment Tonight, “That was very flattering on me, you know, because [Grant’s] obviously lovely.”
She sent a sweet message to the couple
Plus, Mirren had nothing but positive things to say about Reeves, who had starred in The Devil’s Advocate – the 1997 thriller directed by her husband Taylor Hackford.
She continued, “I do know Keanu very well… he is just the most adorable, lovely person. So she’s a lucky girl, and I’m sure that he’s a lucky boy.”
She's helping him heal
This sentiment was echoed by Life & Style magazine, which reported that Grant has helped Reeves to come to terms with his tragic experiences.
An anonymous source told the publication that the artist is “one of the few people who’s managed to get Keanu to open up about his emotions and past. Some say she’s not only stolen his heart, but she’s also saved him.”