Keanu Reeves’ unexpected comeback to Jimmy Fallon’s prank is exactly why everyone loves him

Jimmy Fallon thought he got Keanu Reeves, but the 'John Wick' star’s response was pure perfection
PUBLISHED FEB 13, 2025
A screenshot of Keanu Reeves and Jimmy Fallon from 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)
A screenshot of Keanu Reeves and Jimmy Fallon from 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)

Jimmy Fallon is a well-known prankster, but sometimes his antics come back to bite him. In one such instance, 'The Tonight Show' host found himself in hot water with none other than 'John Wick' star Keanu Reeves. Known for his kind behavior, Reeves gave Fallon a taste of his own medicine when he pulled a prank on the action star and his girlfriend, Alexandra Grant. Given that Reeves is a renowned action star, one might have expected him to settle the score with some high-octane moves. Instead, he took the high road, proving that kindness can be the answer to everything.

Keanu Reeves attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Lionsgate's
Keanu Reeves attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Lionsgate's "John Wick: Chapter 4" at TCL Chinese Theatre on March 20, 2023, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

While promoting 'John Wick: Chapter 4' on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' in March 2023, Fallon shared a hilarious story about how he once attempted to prank Reeves. Fallon revealed that Reeves was enjoying a meal with his longtime girlfriend, Grant, when he decided to pull a fast one on the 'Matrix star', as per Cinema Blend. When Fallon sent Reeves a single olive as a prank, Reeves spectacularly turned the tables.



 

Fallon recalled, "I thought it would be funny. I sent you over one olive. I go, 'You can split it, eat it yourself, whatever. I don't want to tell you how to eat your olive.'" Reeves responded, "What did we do?" Fallon then revealed, "I'll tell you exactly what you did. You had the whole restaurant come over and sing me 'Happy Birthday'. It's not my birthday! I blew out the candle. It was not my birthday at all." It seems like Reeves had the perfect comeback!



 

In the same episode, Reeves and Fallon took part in an animal trivia game called Pup Quiz, hosted by Steve Higgins. Explaining the rules, Higgins said, “If you answer correctly, you get a golden retriever puppy. If you answer incorrectly, your opponent gets a puppy. Whoever has the most puppies at the end wins.” Before the game even started, Reeves confessed his nerves, saying, “I’m so terrible with this.”



 

Reeves first guessed “turtle” but quickly corrected himself with the right answer, “lizard,” when asked, “What is the only species of reptile native to Ireland?” Fallon, meanwhile, playfully protested, saying, “This is not fair. First of all, I’m not taking a puppy away from John Wick,” as per SYFY. Fallon was up next with the question, "Which of the following species is not the name of a real animal?" He mistakenly picked the Sarcastic Fringehead, costing him the round and giving Reeves his second puppy.



 

Reeves then curiously asked, “Do the puppies know each other? Is this like a common litter?" to which Fallon jokingly replied, "We have like 50 puppies backstage." In the Double Puppardy round, Reeves was given the question, "A dik-dik is what kind of animal?" and confidently answered antelope, earning two more puppies. When one of them wandered over to Fallon, he picked it up and called it 'a good boy,' leading Reeves to hilariously shout, "That’s my puppy, Fallon!"


 
 
 
 
 
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Fallon was then asked why male dogs raise their legs when they urinate. He guessed it was to show happiness, but the correct answer was to signal their height to other dogs. This earned Reeves two more puppies, prompting him to proudly declare, "Who’s the puppy king? I’m the puppy king." In Final Puppardy, both had a chance to take all of their opponent’s puppies—though Fallon hadn’t actually won any. The final question: "How many dogs were used to film the movie Air Bud?" As puppies ran loose, Fallon guessed 10, while Reeves cleverly wrote, "six, but if it’s not six, then it’s a nine," flipping his iPad upside down. The correct answer was six, sealing Reeves’ total victory.

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