Keanu Reeves is a good dude.

Hollywood:  A place where big careers and humility are mutually exclusive.  Where self promotion is the way to what you want.  People are used as steps to your goal and having a conscience is something you have to be rid of as soon as possible.  Wait…am I talking about Hollywood or Washington DC?  Meh, I digress.

I say all of these things because it is even more astonishing that there are people who work in Hollywood who manage to not fall into this pit.   Keanu Reeves appears to be one of those people. 

Be mindful of this:  This article is not being written to discuss his acting ability.  I myself do not find him to be a terrible actor.  There have been some roles where he was wooden and definitely roles where he has seemed to be the stoner surfer quite a bit.  It is easy to label him as just the handsome guy and that is why he gets roles in movies.  But again – not why we’re here.  I want to discuss Keanu Reeves the man. So I will.

In the early part of his career he was only spoken of for his acting, but as time has passed, he has become known for being humble and generous, and for having a kind personality—qualities that seem to resonate with people on a deep level.  People were not aware of what kind of person he is due to in no small way his diligent work at being a private person.  In the last 5 years or so, the fact that he is a phenomenal guy has come to the forefront due in large part because of social media.

Despite being a huge Hollywood star, Keanu is famously humble. He avoids the spotlight, rarely engages in self-promotion, and has been seen using public transport like any regular person. His low-key attitude, even in the face of enormous success, makes him relatable.

I am not sure if this is where it really all started, but this video of Keanu Reeves giving up his seat for a woman carrying a heavy bag might be the first look at who he really is.  This seems like such a simple thing, but unfortunately this is really not a normal thing in today’s world.  Unlike many celebrities, he doesn’t let fame inflate his ego. There are countless stories of him chatting with fans, taking pictures with them, and treating people with kindness and respect, whether they’re fellow actors or everyday people he meets on the street.  There is another story that demonstrates this – he was on a plant bound for California that had to make an emergency landing.  Instead of sneaking away to travel on his own, he organized travel for many passengers, riding with them and telling stories. 

Respectful with women in a big way.  Keanu Reeves has become known for a unique and respectful gesture when taking pictures with women: he often poses with his hands hovering just above or beside them, without making physical contact. This subtle gesture has gained attention and praise on social media, where people have dubbed it the "hover hand" or the "respectful hand."  By not physically touching the women in the photos, Keanu demonstrates a respect for their personal space. In a time when conversations about consent and personal boundaries are more prominent, his gesture is seen as considerate and mindful.  Just another really cool way that he demonstrates he is the epitome of a gentleman.

Ever give away 31.5million dollars?  Keanu has.  After The Matrix, he gave that money to support cancer research in honor of his sister who died from leukemia.  This was equivalent to 70% of his total earnings from the movie.  Prior to that he sold his home to move closer to her so that he could help in caring for her.  This resulted in delays for the production of the Matrix sequels, but he knew what was important and people over movies. There are tons of other charities that he has donated to, but that is not where his generosity ends.  He cut 90% of his salary for the film The Replacements so that they could afford Gene Hackman’s salary requirements.  Does it end there?  Not at all.  He is a motorcycle aficionado, so he gifted all of the stuntmen for Matrix with brand new Harley Davidson motorcycles.  It doesn’t stop there.  For the John Wick films, he gave the stuntmen Rolex watches.  In the world of cheap, petty Hollywood stars, Keanu simply is not one of them.  

Keanu has faced tremendous personal loss—his father left when he was young, his close friend River Phoenix passed away, he lost a child, and his long-time partner also died tragically. He lost his sister to cancer.  Despite this, Keanu continues to live with grace, generosity, and positivity. Keanu often speaks about life in a reflective and thoughtful way. He’s known for giving interviews where he talks about the meaning of existence, death, and the importance of kindness, which adds to his aura of being "different" from other stars—more introspective and grounded.  There are two instances when being interviewed on the Colbert show we can see this.

And one more video - and this one pretty much says it all.