Keanu Reeves reveals he had to hide spinal injury to save his role in 'The Matrix'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: During a recent episode of 'The Art of Action' podcast, Keanu Reeves took a stroll down memory lane with his 'John Wick: Chapter 4' co-star, Scott Adkins. The two actors chatted over Zoom, reflecting on Reeves' illustrious career in action films. They delved into his earlier works, such as Kathryn Bigelow's 'Point Break' and Jan de Bont's 'Speed', shedding light on his initial experiences in the action genre. However, it was 1999's groundbreaking sci-fi action flick, 'The Matrix', that truly took Reeves to the next level.
Reeves' dedication to the role was nothing short of incredible, especially considering the spinal injury he had sustained. Despite having spine issues, he signed up for the film and underwent four months of intense training, keeping his condition hidden from the Wachowskis. Reeves admitted on the podcast that he had almost been forced to leave the project due to his injury. It's a testament to his resilience that he refused to let it hold him back and continued to work on the film.
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What happened to Keanu Reeves during the filming of 'The Matrix'?
In a recent episode of 'The Art of Action' podcast, Keanu Reeves shared the challenges he faced while filming 'The Matrix', including a spinal injury he had kept hidden. Reeves disclosed that he had undergone epidural injections in his spine for his role in 'Chain Reaction' (1996) and had also dealt with a bulging and fractured disc that caused him to lose feeling and balance. Despite this, Reeves accepted the role of Neo in 'The Matrix' and committed to four months of training. However, things took a turn for the worse when Reeves visited a neck doctor and was diagnosed with spinal stenosis.
He had to undergo a two-level fusion on his spine before training and had a plate inserted in his neck. "But I never actually told anyone because I didn’t want to tell anyone I wouldn’t be able to do the film," Reeves shared. He trained for 'The Matrix' while wearing a neck brace and had to navigate the intense action sequences while dealing with his medical issues. Despite the challenges, Reeves returned to play Neo in two more Matrix films, 'The Matrix Reloaded' (2003) and 'The Matrix Revolutions' (2003), as well as the recent release, 'The Matrix Resurrections' (2021). The Matrix franchise is known for its groundbreaking visual effects and action sequences. Reeves continued to push himself physically and underwent intensive training for his role in 'John Wick'.
Keanu Reeves lives for action movies
Keanu Reeves has cemented himself as an action movie icon with his roles in two blockbuster franchises — 'The Matrix' and 'John Wick'. Despite completing the fourth installment of 'John Wick', Reeves may not be done with physically demanding roles just yet. He is set to star in the upcoming spinoff film of the John Wick franchise, 'Ballerina', alongside Ana de Armas. Reeves, known for his dedication to his craft, spent 12 weeks training for his role in 'John Wick: Chapter 4', even learning to use weapons like nun-chucks.
Although there were plans to film the fourth and fifth 'John Wick' movies back-to-back, this did not come to fruition. It appears that 'John Wick: Chapter 4' concludes the story of Reeves' character for now. However, Reeves' next project, 'BRZRKR', which is based on the BOOM! Studios comic series co-written by Reeves and Matt Kindt, may require him to undergo intensive training once again. The 12-issue limited series, which concluded its comic run in March 2023, will be adapted into a live-action film for Netflix. The script, written by Mattson Tomlin and starring Reeves, was completed in October 2022, but an official release date has not been announced as of writing.
All four editions of the Matrix movies are available on HBO MAX. 'John Wick: Chapter 4' is currently in theaters with the previous three releases available on Peacock.