Does Keanu Reeves Really Do His Own Stunts?

Keanu Reeves, whose action roles include Neo in the "Matrix" films and John Wick in the film series of the same name, actually does his own stunts. In an interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Reeves revealed that, while filming "The Matrix: Resurrections," he jumped off a building "around 19, 20 times" in order to get the stunt right. He estimated that the building was around 46 stories high.

Many of the action scenes in the "Matrix" films require characters to move in ways that are impossible for humans and are thus created using computer graphics. However, Reeves noted that the filmmakers wanted some scenes to feel real and have perfect lighting. In order to stay safe in stunt scenarios, the actors have wires attached to them when performing such daredevil actions.

For Reeves, one benefit of doing his own stunts is that it's fun. He told Colbert, "It was awesome. Can you imagine just leaping off of a building with wires?" Indeed, for certain actors, performing stunts may sound like a blast.

In an interview with "Today" regarding his stunts in the "John Wick" fight scenes, Reeves said, "I'm 90% of what's happening there." Another benefit to doing his own stunts? "I'm maintaining the connection with the audience and with the story." For Reeves, it seems that sticking with a character even through the stunts allows him to more deeply inhabit his roles.