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Keanu Reeves spills all the details on teaming up with ex Sofia Coppola for some 'Suntory Time'

Reeves stars in Coppola's short film celebrating the 100th anniversary of The House of Suntory, the whisky brand featured in 'Lost in Translation'
UPDATED MAY 27, 2023
Sofia Coppola and Keanu Reeves dated in the early 90s (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for House of Suntory )
Sofia Coppola and Keanu Reeves dated in the early 90s (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for House of Suntory )

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Sofia Coppola and Keanu Reeves were eager to collaborate on a new project. The 'House of Suntory', a Japanese whisky producer, commissioned Coppola, 52, and Reeves, 58, to work together on a project for the company's 100th anniversary. 

The celebrities appeared on the red carpet together at a function in New York City on May 23 to promote their Suntory Time homage movie. Suntory claims that the statement "For relaxing times, make it Suntory Time," from Coppola's 2003 movie 'Lost in Translation', which was set in Tokyo, contributed to the brand becoming well-known at the time. In the 1990s, Reeves also appeared in a Suntory commercial.

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Sofia Coppola and Keanu Reeves arrive at The House of Suntory 100 Year Anniversary Global Event and “Suntory Time” Tribute Premiere on May 23, 2023 in New York City.
Sofia Coppola and Keanu Reeves arrive at The House of Suntory 100 Year Anniversary Global Event and “Suntory Time” Tribute Premiere on May 23, 2023 in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for House of Suntory )

‘It was a really special opportunity’

Reeves, who dated Coppola in the early 1990s after meeting her on the set of Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of 'Bram Stoker's Dracula', told People that working with the Marie Antoinette director was an 'easy yes'.

"It was", he replies. "It was cool [to get] a chance to work with Sofia Coppola and to work with [her brother] Roman Coppola on a kind of short commercial and then a docu-series. It was a really special opportunity".

Sofia Coppola and Keanu Reeves arrive at The House of Suntory 100 Year Anniversary Global Event and “Suntory Time” Tribute Premiere on May 23, 2023 in New York City.
Sofia Coppola and Keanu Reeves celebrate The House of Suntory 100 Year Anniversary Global Event and “Suntory Time” Tribute Premiere on May 23, 2023 in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for House of Suntory )

Reeves continues, "It was wonderful, really wonderful. It was extraordinary to have the opportunity to spend time with people from Suntory, in terms of going to the founding distillery Yamazaki, then going and just meeting master blenders and all the craftspeople".

‘There’s definitely a strong Japanese influence’

He further explained, "I got to meet some of the artisans, Kabuki actors, calligraphists, being an outsider and getting to spend time with people and talk about their passion and their craft". Reeves discussed his love of Japanese culture and how it informed his most recent movie, 'John Wick: Chapter 4', earlier this year.

Keanu Reeves speaks during a panel of
Keanu Reeves speaks during a panel of 'John Wick 4' at the Thunder Stage at Sao Paulo Expo on December 03, 2022 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images for Lionsgate)

According to what he told Total Film, "Japanese anime and Japanese filmmaking have definitely been something I've loved and have been influenced by". "And bushido is definitely a theme in our film — you know, the code of the samurai — so, from the outside, it feels like a great fit, the idea of honor and sacrifice. There’s definitely a strong Japanese influence".

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