Drowning my Watson craze, I took up on a funny, great challenge and got myself into men (style) talk. Because I was commissioned by our dear friend, Ellington, to take my brains off Emma and deliver you something new: men style.
I’ll start with an ageless favorite of mine: Keanu Reeves. Gracing the Spring Summer 2009 issue of Vogue Hommes International, can you really believe he’s 44-years old? (the story continues right after the jump with more pictures!)
He imposed a mysterious aura to his persona, a mystic silence respected by the media and cultivated with utmost care by Keanu himself. Keanu Reeves may not fall into the good graces of everybody’s taste, but he surely is the anti-star example that most celebs could use as model.
Though he took a variety of shapes in the acting register, Keanu restlessly participates in various flicks: he’s got a new project for this year: David Fincher’s Chef. Given that he averages two-three movies/year, we should expect more than that for 2009. Having his own production company, Keanu doesn’t really stop working but even so he has time to read. Books, that is! (or at least that’s what he said). A fan of Dostoevsky’s Idiot or Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, this particular actor isn’t the artsy celeb you get to see just about everywhere today. He’s not parading his tastes, nor does he flaunt his overexpensive choices. He has a plain blue rectangle on one of his home walls that he calls painting. Signed by John McCracken, entitled simply Blue Paint, it’s one of Keanu’s favorite art items.
Wearing Versace, photographed by Amanda de Cadenet and styled by Julia van Boehm, Keanu Reeves is all pretty for this Vogue photoshoot. But who is Keanu, really?
Born in Beirut, Lebanon on September 2nd 1964, Keanu (his name means cool breeze over the mountains) spent his childhood on the road, moving around from town to town, from country to country, from one stepdad to another. His mother married four times and almost all four marriages took them to another city. Keanu’s education was difficult also because he attended numerous schools, because he was dyslexic and quite restless; he never got his high school diploma.
Though he begun his “career” when he was only nine years old, Keanu Reeves didn’t achieved an international commercial solid status until 1999 when he stroke gold with Matrix. His acting portfolio included indie movies, various and numerous supporting roles, comedies, action movies, thrillers but it seems the public likes him playing the tragic sci-fi hero.
Up to present time, speculations have been made (and continue to light up countless imaginations) about Keanu Reeve’s personal life. Little is known from Keanu’s private life and it’s all bad: his girlfriend (Jennifer Syme) gave birth to a stillborn daughter in December 1999 and Jennifer herself was killed in a car accident two years later (2001). Never married, Reeves bought his first house when he reach the 40-years old threshold.
Why do I like Keanu? Because he’s a tragedian. A modest, discreet actor who makes you believe he is the part he’s playing. I value his acting skills more than his wardrobe possessions but that doesn’t make him styleless nor deprives his style of individuality and personality (at least not to my eyes). Rather unique, Keanu is part of that timeless list of ageless actors where I also wrote Denzel Washington’s name.
What/who was/is Keanu Reeves for you? Like him/dislike him? Why? (photos via)
17 comments
Huzzah for this and thanks for accepting my idea Kpriss!
I actually adore Keanu Reeves, and I don’t think that he is a horrid actor as many may do. He may not win an Oscar but I admire him for being true to himself and not plastic. He actually grew up here in Toronto, spending his formative years here. He has had a lot of sadness in his life, the lose of their child and his girl friend’s untimely death, his sister’s battle with cancer all tragedies. :(
So I applaud your first choice for Men of Style! : )
I’m so happy it’s one of your favorites too!
Let it be Men of Style, then! (I added the new category – great idea!)
Thanks Ellington for this idea. I just love Keanu. He is one of my charming guy with perfect package, looks, talent, attitude and style. Gosh, this is great!!!!
Kpriss, you should do Emma and Ellington will be adding ideas. I kind of like it!!!:)
Girls what’s left for me to say? You’ve said it all yet….Of course thank you Ellington :)!!!
Oh, and it’s so hot and now this….I’ve always loved Keanu too just like you three. I know what his name means.
So as the old Romans believed despite his misfortune in life: Nomen est omen?
Daydreamer lol!
Adriana, I think it’s more his childhood and lack of stability (and family) growing up than Roman slogans ;)
I hope my next choices will be (at least) as great as this first one!
Kpriss, I know but me and the Romans they were the first whom used my name and there’s more to that name so….
I’m looking forward to your next choices!! :)
Kpriss, you have good eyes. I’m kind of exited to see what will you come up next.
I shall always remember “My Own Private Idaho” also because of River Phoenix. It seems they were very good friends. He has lost so much in his life and he’s still around. Maybe I love Keanu the most because he’s a strong person, a true fighter.
Keanu is like good wine he gets better with aging. I hope he’s “home” now and that he doesn’t show up as the face of any brand please! That this great photoshoot was a one time thing……
Thanks, Daydreamer! I hope each and every one of my finds will prove interesting in one way or the other!
River Phoenix.. What a family.. I wonder what his once-brilliant-now-weirdo brother Joaquin did with his so-called rap breakthrough! Maybe it was a prank after all (I so hope it was!)
(I forgot to tell you – your name is beautiful, whoever said it first! Though I respect the Roman perspective and contribution to the world, in every way, I can’t think about Keanu as being a cool breeze.. more like a seriously hot wind ;) )
Good morning Kpriss!
Keanu can be both in my view: like this he’s a seriously hot wind yes, but how he has survived and lives his life is more like a cool breeze over mountains to me….
Oh, Joaquin…..another actor I adore. I still hope it was a prank but I’ve my doubts. Ja, ja, famili life……
Sorry, me again. English has great words. Though “a stillborn” is such a sad thing it sounds so different than how we call this. Just “born death”. And I can’t come up with good Dutch equivalent.
Excellent-relaxed photos of Keanu shown. His acting style has grown over the years, his mature nature is getting better with age. His rebel nature, does him more harm then good at times-fans will agree. His true fights from within can be easily avoided when he feels the need to -one would assume. His natural ability to be in front of a camera, is and always will be his life’s work-focus and desire. He holds it well, shows it well and always performs-well. He stands up to all actors when it comes to style, acting, and looks!
Rebel nature? That he rides a bike, loves to play his bass with Dogstar? (If that band still does exist?) He stands out because he’s not the conventional Hollywood star until until now.
I don’t know what rebel would actually mean for Keanu. He who has been educated in a very strange family (is it morally right to call that a family?) without too much parental guidance (especially a father figure and we all know how crucial parental figures are in one’s education). I may be oversensitive in that matter given I’m a mother-of-three and a fervent family supporter, but I think too many people were handicapped by their family while growing up.
Adriana when I read about him for this article I also noticed he wasn’t playing with Dogstar no more but with another band (called Becky). He’s not really an unconventional H-star. He’s just another man with issues… But a great actor, that he is! (Jamie, as a side note – he gave up his salary to have Pacino starring in Devil’s Advocate, a gesture he later repeated to have Gene Hackman in The Replacements)
The first movie I ever saw with Joaquin was Quills (don’t ask me why, I guess curiosity would be the first answer). His implication in the character was amazing. Few actors really make you believe they are who they act…
Strange enough the first movie I saw with as well Keanu as Joaquin acting was, ironical enough, “Parenthood”!! Back then I didn’t know less to nothing about their backgrounds…..
Yes, family life….it can make and break a person’s personality. But those people whom are hurt by their upbringing even if they’ve survived it and this has make them strong fighters they’re always will be a bit of an outsider…..I think….
I fear though moe for Joaquin than Keanu though….
Imagine those three children Michael Jackson has left behind…..oh, my God I cannot describe how I fear for them…..
Hello I may be late sending this but was browsing the internet and fell on the article.
I like this man because of his felt authenticity and natural expression. I do not know him much but I feel by looking at the pictures of him that before being an actor, he is human and knows it somehow.. He is sad as well and wiser at time passes.
This man is a mystery because we do not allow him to be himself due to his status. I like his way of being and the fact that he seeks the truth even if it does not come up for him.
He touches something deep in me that makes me want to hold him and my compassion is what makes me feel what I feel about this man.
I wish him the best..
Mady
Unique actor and wonderful man!Wish him good health, luck, to find true love.. and always be happy;)
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