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1. Unsettling of binary oppositions and identity categories on screen

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1. Unsettling of binary oppositions and identity categories on screen

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Keanu Reeves has starred in distinctive homo-erotic films like Point Break and My Own Private Idaho. He has romantic films such as A Walk In The Clouds and The Lake House. He is Neo in The Matrix, who is a reluctant hero. He is also a 50 years old man, John Wick, who was suffering tragedy and loneliness.

"Reeves is ‘straight’, but he is also somehow queer; Reeves is ‘hot’, but there is an androgyny to his beauty and physicality that disturbs a dominant hetero-masculinism."

"Reeves developed a unique presence in film in the ‘90s – simultaneously profoundly embodied and largely passive. Action accommodates Reeves’ persona as someone mysterious and unknowable." (Horeck, 2022)

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"Many of Keanu’s characters, alongside stories of his kindness, the public’s romanticisation of him, and his personal life ‘muddle the line between illusion and what is real’".

Keanu Reeves plays a young married US military soldier, Paul, who returns home after World War II and meets a girl, Victoria, along the way. Victoria is pregnant and terrified of returning home to her Mexican family where her strict over protective father will surely disapprove of her out of wedlock pregnancy. Wanting to help, Paul offers to pose as her husband to calm things over until such time he is free to leave again but as they spend time together, they start falling in love with each other.

This character created a handsome, kind, stable, upright screen image for Keanu Reeves. And Reeves himself is also a simple man with a good heart and high values in the real life.

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The movie tells the story of a doctor and an architect falling in love across time and space.

Keanu Reeves played an attractive, educated, sensitive architect. He and Sandra Bullock both display a deep, patient, and profound love for each other. And they do so with grace and charm and a chemistry that can't be readily explained.

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It is a story of an F.B.I. Agent named Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) goes undercover to catch a gang of surfers who may be bank robbers.

The film uses typically American surf beach settings for this unusual and very stylish action thriller with great stunts like parachuting scenes, bank robberies, a car chase, police raids, martial arts, breath-taking chases and brilliantly photographed surf sequences. This movie made some people into Keanu's fan.

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Keanu Reeves was perfectly cast as Jack Traven, a smart, agile but reckless police officer with a tendency to disobey orders and creates inventive solutions to get the job done.

Following Point Break, Reeves’ role in Speed marked a shift in his career (his first hit as a lead action star) and within the action genre.

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Thomas A. Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is a man living two lives. By day he is an average computer programmer and by night a hacker known as Neo. As a rebel against the machines, Neo must confront the agents: super-powerful computer programs devoted to stopping Neo and the entire human rebellion.

"In seemingly deliberate opposition to the aggressive and active male stars of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, Neo appears languid and passive. Whether he is draped over his desk or bending backwards to avoid bullets, which strongly opposes the virility-promoting stances. He is Alice in Wonderland, he is Sleeping Beauty – feminine figures at rest. We perceive the world of the Matrix from this languid and passive perspective, which is further enhanced by Reeves' distinctive lilting voice." (Moline, 2022)

He has an unique, gentle and noble masculinity.

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Keanu Reeves plays a very cool Constantine, who is a modern-day exorcist. Constantine's kind of dispassionate nihilism that plays perfectly to Reeves' own dull, emotionless acting range.

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Keanu Reeves played an ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters who killed his dog and stole his car.

Less sexually ambiguous than Neo, John Wick is an active hero, a masculine ideal, who is most associated with suits, guns, cars, and dogs (all traditionally associated with ‘manliness’). He conceptualised the transition from a physically attractive young man to an ageing, hard-working action star (Middlemost and Thomas, 2022). In addition, John Wick's screen image throughout the four chapters is tragedy and loneliness, with the departure of this wife and beloved dog, and fighting alone. This matches with Reeves’ real-life tragedy, and is kind of acting himself. Moreover, “age is central to Reeves’ star persona, informing both his career resurgence” (Middlemost, 2022). Reeves' age has shaped his public persona, particularly in the "Keanaissance" (the period that accompanied the John Wick series), when his prowess at pulling off daring stunts and taking hits has been amply demonstrated. Reeves was praised for his agelessness, and older fans are filled with the 80s and 90s ‘cool’ nostalgia for Reeves's past work as well as for their own younger selves upon his return.

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Another important part of John Wick's screen image throughout the four chapters is tragedy and loneliness, with the departure of this wife and beloved dog, and fighting alone.

One of the canniest things about the Wick films is how they riff on Reeves’ public image’ as a sad and melancholy figure

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Press focus shifted form how difficulties Reeves's stunts were to  how getting older affects Reeves' capacity to play a punishing role like Wick

"The punishing physicality and visceral response aroused by the performance: ‘Within this structure, suffering and torture in particular, operates as both a set of narrative hurdles to be overcome (tests that the hero must survive) and as a set of aestheticized images to be lovingly dwelt on’".

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With the release of another franchise instalment The Matrix Resurrections (2021), followed by John Wick: Chapter 4 (2022), involvement in action franchises has become important to Reeves’ career, as these roles have been his most culturally resonant work.

He is praised for ‘aging well’; his success centred around the performance of his own stunts in demanding roles such as John Wick.

"Reeves’ success as Wick in particular has partly reinvigorated interest in his screen work, conceptualising the change from the physically beautiful youth to the ageing, effortful labour of action role and star."

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One could be a great actor after winning a prestigious award or debuting in a well-known director's movie, but there is no specific milestone defining you as a great human being: it is something that needs to be accomplished again and again every single day. Looks like Keanu Reeves keeps succeeding both things at the same time. And yes, that's why we love him.

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Keanu Reeves Faces An Unexpected Request From A Fan | Rumour Juice

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2.1 User-generated content: 'a saintly figure, a beacon of humbleness and  goodness'

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2.1 User-generated content: 'a saintly figure, a beacon of humbleness and  goodness'

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"Reeves’ decency, and his many good deeds recounted by fans online, are taken as a bar against which other celebrities fail to stack up, leading to the conclusion that he is indeed ‘too good for this world’."

"internet boyfriend": Keanu taking photos with everyone who wants to do so at the airport.

"respectful king": Keanu never touchs his female fans and keeps his hands off their back while taking photos.

He really seems to like helping others.

He will do what it takes to make a movie great. Keanu Reeve once took a pay cut to allow for Al Pacino to co-star in The Devil's advocate.

He likes to keep things simple. While several sources estimate Reeves's net worth is round $300 million, he appears to remain humble.

He doesn't throw his name around. Keanu Reeves arrived at the wrap party of his movie "Exposed", but the bouncer did not recognize the star. Instead of making a scene, he patiently got in line to wait in the rain coutside the New York city club.

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Proof that Keanu Reeves is the nicest man in Hollywood. Why Keanu Reeves is the most respected actor

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In 2010, when paparazzi pictures appeared showing the actor sitting on a New York City park bench and eating a sandwich, looking scruffy and in low spirits. So emerged the 'Sad Keanu' meme; June 15th was even declared, by fans, 'Cheer Up Keanu Day'.

The ‘Sad Keanu’ meme struck a cultural chord because it tapped into key aspects of Reeves' star persona, specifically the tragic details of his personal life and an already prevalent sense of him as a lonely, melancholic figure. It amplified preexisting perceptions of Reeves’, feeding into his star image as the ‘moody emblem of Generation X in films like My Own Private Idaho, or the reluctant hero of The Matrix.

Keanu Reeves addresses the ‘Sad Keanu’ meme: "I was thinking. I had some stuff going on. I was hungry. I'm Just Eating a Sandwich, Man!”

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In 1999, Keanu's girlfriend Jennifer Syme gave birth to their daughter, who was stillborn. The couple decided to split several weeks later. Two years after their breakup, Syme died in a car acciddent. Around the same time, Keanu's sister was diagnosed with cancer.

Despite the tragedies, Reeves has not gone down the dark path, and on the contrary, he become thoughtful, empathic and respectful.

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A long-held suspicion was confirmed: he is just as cool gunman in real life as his on-screen counterparts, if not more so.

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Reeves' screen image and off-screen image is different and interesting.

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John Wick loves dog, so does Keanu Reaves

Reeves is God of the Internet, isn't he?

"Add to this the political context of Trump’s America, where the figure of the white male supremacist monster loomed large (and tweeted regularly) and the explosion of memes around Reeves' saintliness in 2019 (and beyond) can be explained as fulfiling a deep psychological and cultural yearning for there to be male A-listers who represent goodness and decency"

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Oh, he is too good for the world!

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You're breathtaking!

No, I'm just Sad Keanu...

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Oh, the Internet Boyfriend is here!

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Fan post content: Reeves help others in life.

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Hover hand

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YSL's official Twitter account posted photos of Keanu Reeves, show his successful ageing off-screen.

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Reeves is aging off-screen and he has cool hobby.

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Keanu Reeves Shows Off His Most Prized Motorcycles | Collected | GQ

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Middlemost, R. (2022) ‘The incredible, ageless Reeves: aging celebrity, aging fans, and nostalgia’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 228–243.

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Middlemost, R. (2022) ‘The incredible, ageless Reeves: aging celebrity, aging fans, and nostalgia’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 228–243.

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Reeves is young and immortal, as he was left in The Matrix and Cyberpunk 2077; He is also successfully aging off-screen and on-screen (John Wick).

"Age is central to Reeves’ star persona, informing both his career resurgence and the internet rumours about his immortality."

"Age has shaped Reeves’ public persona, particularly during the ‘Keanaissance’ (coinciding with the John Wick cycle), where Reeves’ ability to perform challenging stunts, and endure physical punishment is on full display."

"Reeves’ alignment with youth (and immortality) is amalgamated with his portrayal of futuristic characters such as Neo in The Matrix, and Johnny Silverhand in video game Cyberpunk 2077, in addition to his successful ageing off-screen."

"For ageing fans, the reemergence of Reeves is imbued with nostalgia, both for his earlier work and for their younger selves."

"He has not been criticised for ageing, nor have his action credentials been questioned. Instead, he has been praised for his agelessness, offering added appeal for fans who have grown up alongside him."

"Cast as the Internet’s Boyfriend, Reeves also represents the long-held desires of fans for celebrities to perform ordinariness (while remaining extraordinary), and authenticity."

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Keanu Reeves - "an enigmatic icon straddling boundaries of fixed identity and meaning"-shaped by screen and digital culture collectively

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Keanu Reeves - "an enigmatic icon straddling boundaries of fixed identity and meaning"-shaped by screen and digital culture collectively

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Keanu Reeves' star image is enigmatic and with no fixed identity, which is shaped by screen and digital culture collectively.

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Keanu Reeves's cameo in the romantic comedy Always Be My May, playing himself. "Reeves, 54, enters the film much like one might imagine he walks the actual Earth: In slow motion, with every living soul taking notice and launching invisible heart eyes in his direction’".

"In his Always Be My Maybe cameo, Keanu’s identity is manifested in an act of public recognition with his Asianness confirmed across a collective association."(Govil, 2022)

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Always Be My Maybe Dinner Scene ft. Keanu Reeves | Netflix

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Race and transnational identity-Asian American icon 

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Race and transnational identity-Asian American icon 

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Before Always, many of Keanu’s roles have been white-passing or ethnically ambiguous, such as the characters he played in science fiction films like The Matrix trilogy.

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Keanu Reeves in video game Cyberpunk 2077

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Keanu Reeves in video game Cyberpunk 2077

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Reeves’ connection with youth and immortality is combined with his portrayal of futuristic characters such as Neo in The Matrix, and Johnny Silverhand in video game Cyberpunk 2077.

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Nielsen, D. and Nititham, D.S. (2022) ‘Celebrity memes, audioshop, and participatory fan culture: a case study on Keanu Reeves memes’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 159–170.

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Nielsen, D. and Nititham, D.S. (2022) ‘Celebrity memes, audioshop, and participatory fan culture: a case study on Keanu Reeves memes’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 159–170.

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"Memes are easy to create and circulate, allowing a connection to memeified celebrities, making celebrities more accessible, knowable, and familiar to the general public."

"Keanu’s crossmedia presence – enigmatic, familiar, kind, and Asian – reflects and encourages multiple levels of participatory engagement, all the while maintaining fidelity to its original form – Keanu as celebrity. "

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Middlemost, R. and Thomas, S. (2022) ‘Introduction to the special issue: Keanu Reeves as palimpsest’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 137–142.

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Middlemost, R. and Thomas, S. (2022) ‘Introduction to the special issue: Keanu Reeves as palimpsest’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 137–142.

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Background: Reeves as an enduring and enigmatic celebrity since he made his debut.

"Since his emergence as a teen actor in the 1980s, Keanu Reeves has been an enduring yet elusive celebrity whose performances and star persona continue to fascinate and frustrate in equal measure. Despite his unwavering popularity, from the turn of the millennium, his lower public profile saw Reeves assume the status of cult or folk icon, and yet from this cultural point, it appears that the mainstream world has – slowly – rediscovered and fallen for Reeves all over again. Of course, for long-term Reeves fans, Keanu had never really gone away, but his resurgent career was nonetheless greeted with wild adulation."

"USA Today declared June 2019 ‘The Summer of Keanu Reeves’ with the release of John Wick 3, Toy Story 4, the announcement of his role in video game Cyberpunk 2077, memorable cameo in Always Be My Maybe, viral memes (from ‘Sad Keanu’ to ‘You’re Breathtaking’), magazine features, the first ‘KeanuCon’ film festival, and high-profile fashion brand ambassador spreads (Saint Laurent). Indeed, looking over this representative list, it is clear that his later career renaissance is heavily characterised and informed by contemporary advances in convergence cultures and digital platforms, as our encounters with Reeves are increasingly mediated through gaming, social media, interactive online content, marketing and advertising, and other shifts in the filmic landscape."

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Moline, B. (2022) ‘Keanu Reeves’ body as battleground’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 185–199.

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Moline, B. (2022) ‘Keanu Reeves’ body as battleground’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 185–199.

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Background: Why is everyone pay so much attention to Keanu Reeves's appearance?

"One of the first articles written about the 23-year old actor, in the Toronto Sun, devotes a paragraph to Reeves dropping out of high school and being a ‘jock’ (Anthony 1987, para. 11). Reeves’ perceived lack of intelligence (even then remarked on as perhaps a façade) became a part of his mythos immediately, with nearly every subsequent article rather needlessly mentioning his school grades."

"The natural conclusion to this discussion of Reeves’ perceived lack of intelligence, married to typically glowing descriptions of his appearance, is a pair of 1995 articles about ‘himbos’, or ‘male bimbos’. "

"With the focus so squarely on Reeves’ body and appearance from the start, both in the public consciousness and in Reeves’ own persona, it’s no wonder that his roles began to reflect this hyper-awareness of his embodiment."

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2. Keanu Reeves off-screen image in Digital Culture

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2. Keanu Reeves off-screen image in Digital Culture

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Of course this is not ture. "While we might watch, marvel and possibly be alarmed at the extent of such digital wizardry, what the robbery deepfake video distils to great effect is Keanu Reeves' star image as the kindest, most generous man in Hollywood. Indeed, the video is funny precisely because it is not that far off the real-life stories of ‘Keanu kindness’ that abound on the internet."

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Horeck, T. (2022) ‘“Too good for this world:” Keanu Reeves, God of the Internet’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 143–158.

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Horeck, T. (2022) ‘“Too good for this world:” Keanu Reeves, God of the Internet’, Celebrity studies, 13(2), pp. 143–158.

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Participatory fandom and online cultures enable the understanding and spread of Reeves’ star image, and creates a sense of authenticity. He is deified on the Internet because Reeves' decency, and his many good deeds that fans recount online, are seen as a standard that other stars cannot surpass. We can also perceive his deificiation by his unfixed identity.

"To be revered as ‘nice’ in the kind of unadulterated, unproblematic, and hypervisible way of Keanu Reeves is to inhabit an unquestioned position of ‘gendered and race privilege’"

"And yet what makes Reeves so interesting as a star text is how he both embodies privilege and undoes it. Reeves is ‘white’, but he is also not white. He is biracial; Reeves is ‘straight’, but he is also somehow queer; Reeves is ‘hot’, but there is an androgyny to his beauty and physicality that disturbs a dominant hetero-masculinism; Reeves may be an iconic ‘American’ star, but he is also, notably, a Canadian citizen."

"The creative and collective work of building up an image of Keanu as a pristine figure is animated, even if unconsciously, by a desire for masculine stardom that is unburdened by scandal, especially of the sexually abusive variety."

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Gay movie

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2.2 Other contents beside participatory culture

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2.2 Other contents beside participatory culture