Keanu Reeves covers GQ: ‘I don’t know how much intelligence I have’

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Keanu Reeves covers the May issue of GQ, and it feels like his first major magazine interview in years. Keanu doesn’t do the traditional promotional tours anymore, not like we’re used to from Marvel people and the like. Keanu does his own thing and it’s great – he’s not really hiding, he doesn’t play games with how much he’ll say about anything, but there are always clear lines which he won’t cross. He’s promoting John Wick 3. The cover story is a nice read, and the writer sets the scene well, where Keanu is sitting at the Chateau Marmont, just a few miles from his house. He’s fighting a cold. He’s very Zen. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:

His career future at 54: “I haven’t really thought about my career future, or what was going to happen, until really recently. Probably my mid-40s.” When asked what brought that bout of future-thinking on, he cheerfully says, “Death.”

He has strong feelings about BLTs: Keanu orders a BLT and a Coca-Cola. Fries, not salad. When it comes, the BLT, it’ll be on ciabatta bread. Keanu will find himself missing the crispness of toast. Keanu isn’t sure a BLT shouldn’t leave your soft palate ground up, a little. That a BLT shouldn’t have consequences. Soft bread is for soft-bread sandwiches. “Peanut butter and jelly,” Keanu says. Then, more dreamily, like Homer Simpson in reverie: “Peanut butter and honey.”

On John Wick: “He’s got this beautiful, tragic conundrum—these two selves. The John who was married, and John Wick, the assassin. John wants to be free. But the only way he knows how is through John Wick. And John Wick keeps f–ing killing people and breaking rules. We’re really watching a person fight for their life and their soul.”

On how he’s become a meme: He regards his own meme-ification from a disinterested distance. Actually participating further in the process is not for him, but he’s also not judging anybody who does play along. “People doing dances, people doing mannequin stuff or whatever—those people, they look like they’re having fun and doing some cool sh-t,” he says politely. To actively seek further meme-ification—hey, it’s Sadder Keanu—wouldn’t feel like a creative act, he doesn’t think.

He’s happy doing sequels for stuff like John Wick: “As far as my legs can take me. As far as the audience wants to go.”

Whether he minds being underestimated: “I don’t know how much intelligence I have.”

His joys: His ever-expanding book collection, motorcycles, and music. “Once in a while, I have the moments, where you drink the whiskey and you get the records out and you start doing the DJ thing until four in the morning.”

[From GQ]

The GQ piece is full of quotes from so many of Keanu’s costars and coworkers, all of whom seem to love the f–k out of him. It feels like even the people who consider him a friend don’t really feel like they know him all that well, they just respect and admire his calm vibes, his intelligence, his work ethic. Keanu is a still water running deep, and I’ve always gotten the sense that he walks that line between loneliness and being a loner. He seems to know it too. Mostly I just want to take care of him a little bit and then go for a ride on one of his many beautiful motorcycles.

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Photos courtesy of Daniel Jackson for GQ, sent from a promotional GQ email.

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55 Responses to “Keanu Reeves covers GQ: ‘I don’t know how much intelligence I have’”

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  1. Incredulous says:

    Keanu is a good person in an industry infamous for appalling human beings and he just keeps quietly rolling on, doing his thing. Good for him.

    Also, he’s right about the BLT, it should be on toasted bread.

    • Yup, Me says:

      He’s absolutely gorgeous (seemingly in and out) but this cover pic makes him look like that trend of embalming dead bodies in bizarre upright poses so they look like they’re still enjoying life.

      • Elisa says:

        Right? I saw 47 Ronin again over the weekend and he looks beautiful from every angle.
        It’s like the photographer who did the GQ pics wanted to make him look as uncomfortable as possible.

      • velourazure says:

        I thought it was Russell Brand at first…

    • I have been lucky enough to meet him and he is LOVELY, with a very zen, peaceful vibe and presence. I work in LA so meet many people and most ARE NOT, but he IS totally absolutely crush-worthy. And toast. BLT’s need toast.

      • Lilly (with the double-L) says:

        Thanks! That makes me happy to know that @Missreadsalot. Usually I’m scared to find out about those I crush on. Also, yes, toast.

  2. Tiffany says:

    A BLT on ciabatta bread.

    That is wrong on so many levels and yes, I would be livid if my sandwich came out like that.

    I know that I am not calm like Keanu.

    • Erinn says:

      I like Ciabatta, and am not a huge fan of BLT sandwiches, so I don’t understand the sacrilege. Ciabatta is much better toasted up though, in my opinion. If it wasn’t toasted at all I suppose that would be disappointing.

      Honestly though, we mostly will buy it to go with breakfast. Hashbrowns or bacon with some oven toasted Ciabatta and a bit of jam/jelly and butter. I do love peanut butter and honey together – I need to make that sometime soon.

      • Tiffany says:

        I enjoy ciabatta, but only on my poultry sandwiches. Chicken or turkey, oh hell yeah !!!!

        I warm it up but never toasted.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Egg salad on ciabatta yes, but I agree BLT needs toast.

  3. astrid says:

    I’m digging his newish longer hair style

    • Tiffany says:

      He looks like Ted Logan.

    • Ravensdaughter says:

      The longish hair and big coat make him look like a badass.
      Plus I like the white socks with black shoes. Only a man of Zen-like calm can pull that off!

  4. Val says:

    Oh M. G.
    This IS The Man.

    ( * Now I do need a cold shower to calm me down*)

  5. Nicegirl says:

    Yes. I’d bet his sexual knowledge is off the charts. Like, instinctive. Keanu all day

    Keanu forever

  6. Valiantly Varnished says:

    My forever bae. I literally said “yummm” out loud when I saw the cover photo. It is a testament to his character that in all the years he’s worked in Hollywood I have yet to hear a single bad word about him. He seems like a genuinely good human being who stays out of drama and just sticks to what he loves and I can really understand and relate to that. And Keanu is a Virgo man. They are notoriously hard to get to know. But they are great friends when you do get to know them.

    • Maya says:

      Mine too and the last decent man standing in Hollywood for me..

    • Keanufan says:

      Hey, thanks for pointing out his astrological sign. I don’t pay that much attention to astrology in real life but I noticed I love Virgos – friends and guys – so much. Such humble, cool, helpful, and all-around nice people. They’re smart and always ready to help you out. My favourite sign.

  7. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    😍

  8. Vanessa says:

    Coincidentally, we just rewatched The Matrix last night, and I was struck again by just how beautiful he is. (I also just rewatched Bill and Ted with my 10 year old, what a spectrum). Keanu is one of my forever and always.

  9. Case says:

    He’s one of the very few genuinely good men in Hollywood. Good on him.

  10. Lindy says:

    This is my forever crush. I love how low key he is!

  11. pantanlones en fuego says:

    Forever BAE

  12. Mar says:

    He really maintained himself as the most down to Earth movie star of all time. He knew when to go away and he knew when to not let his ego get the best of him and that is rare anymore.

  13. Mia4s says:

    He’s done an amazing job of doing this all on his own terms. Of course he has the handsome white man Hollywood advantage: but the way he’s guarded his personal life, by all accounts remained very nice and decent, and NOT pulled a Nic Cage “oops I spent all my cash on castles and dinosaur bones” is nonetheless worthy of kudos.

    • Chole says:

      He’s mixed, with some Hawaiian and Chinese ancestors.

      • karen says:

        but he passes for white, so while thats interesting, its irrelevant when considering privilege. [not to diss him in any way, im a fan]

  14. SJR says:

    My Keanu. Always. Keanu Forever. I will watch anything he is in, because he is in it.

    Those bastards at Fox kept him from working for 14 years in a studio film. He calls it “movie jail.” All because he refused to make the sequel to Speed, Speed 2 set on a cruise ship, which was in fact a complete crap cash grab flick, period.

    JW3, take my money! 4 friends and I have May 17 blocked out to see it ASAP.
    Mmmm, Keanu is one very gorgeous man. Beautiful when he was younger but, as he ages … WHOA, is right.

    Thanks celebitchy for posting this!

    • Maya says:

      Wait what? Fox really did that? Son of …..

      Now I really want those Marvel casting rumours to be true.

  15. Maya says:

    Who cares about what’s on the inside when the package is this beautiful 😝

    I love this man and my sincere gossip wish is for him to get together with Angelina and live happily ever after. I think they suit each other very much..

  16. Eva says:

    What a beautiful man. In many ways.

  17. LT says:

    Love him. “Destination Wedding” was pretty awful, but he and Winona are both so pretty that I muddled through most of it just to see them together.

  18. Nev says:

    Wasted cover. Could’ve done so much better with such a GORGEOUS subject.

  19. jules says:

    I don’t know how much intelligence I have- Awesome! He’s one of the few to be humble in Hollywood. My guess is he’s smarter than most.

  20. ChiaMom says:

    So glad I still have Keanu to love!

  21. Beegirl says:

    love this man forever and always! He’s gone through so much in his life, he seems like such a tragic beautiful soul.

  22. Jessica says:

    Good lord, the man is hotter than ever.

  23. Nanea says:

    Who did the styling for the cover shoot?
    Hiding his eyes behind those extra-large shades?
    And those white socks that reminded me first and foremost of Michael Jackson?
    Ugh!

    Keanu’s forever hot though!

  24. Xilco8 says:

    I certainly agree about the non toasted bread on a BLT. Can’t imagine it not toasted.
    I really really like Keanu. I’ve seen most of his films and I enjoy watching him on the screen. Wish him the best always.

  25. SM says:

    I just witnessed the Notre Dame of Paris go down in flames. I can’t describe it other that I feel like I have been punched in the gut. Looking at Keanu here makes me forget for a moment that I want to puke. He does get better and better with age

  26. barbwire says:

    this will always be the only guy who can still elicit lovesick girlish giggles from me at the mere mention of his name….

  27. Victoria says:

    Yay! Man crush Monday to Keanu!

  28. lolalola3 says:

    Love him. love him. love him. While Kaiser is on the motorcycle, I’ll put the kettle on.
    *Sigh*
    If only.

  29. Keanufan says:

    I love Keanu like a brother though obviously I don’t even know this man in real life. Everyone has their own “Keanu story” – watching him give up his seat for someone on the subway, being gracious and hilarious about the Sad Keanu meme when interviewed about it, etc – so I’ll tell you mine.

    I watched a video of him promoting 47 Ronin in Japan. The set-up was kind of weird; they had all the actors sitting on chairs on a big stage and the media in the audience, so the cast didn’t have panels/tables to “hide” behind. Keanu was seated right in the middle in this little chair. Everyone was speaking in Japanese (translators were standing behind or something). He could have been awkward about it but he was so, so chill and gracious and kind and kind of culturally sophisticated without being superior and heavyhanded about it.

    I’m bicultural and I watch/consume East Asian pop culture content (in Mandarin) and a lot of these “foreigners” who head over to Asia to promote their stuff can get uppity or just kind of condescending when awkward things happen. Not Keanu! Good man through and through.

  30. Skwinkee says:

    Whoa. This flashed me back to a BLT that I used to get in the PATH near my work. It was on a ciabatta bun and it worked BUT there was also an avocado so a BLAT. If there had not been the avocado it would not have worked at all. But damn, it worked and it was amazing and they served my favourite coffee. Ahhh memories.

    Keauno forever!!

  31. Beezers says:

    A friend of a friend used to go horseback riding at the same place Keanu did. She said he was so sweet, every single time. She said that all she wanted to do was hug him and take care of him.

  32. ikki says:

    I really like him <3