Keanu's WILD RIDE

At 58, the John Wick star is (still!) at the top of his game. Sources tell Us about what makes the mysterious leading man tick

- JAIME HARKIN

He's a global superstar with more than 70 movies under his belt, but Keanu Reeves hasn't let fame go to his head. "I'm just an actor; I'm just a guy. I'm just trying to do the best I can," he said in early March while promoting his new film, John Wick: Chapter 4. While he has no qualms about being hailed as the internet's boyfriend by die-hard fans - "I appreciate the goodwill," he shared - Reeves insists he's a normal dude. "Obviously, no one is perfect."

According to sources close to the beloved leading man, Reeves' reputation for being one of Hollywood's most humble and down-to-earth stars is well-deserved. "Keanu has been in the business long enough to know how lucky he is," says one source. Despite his A-list status, the fiercely private actor who's been dating artist Alexandra Grant, 49, since 2017 (they went public in late 2019) - prefers to stay out of the spotlight when he can. "He likes being under the radar, riding his motorcycle or hanging out with his nonfamous friends in L.A.," says  a second source of Reeves. "He's grateful to be in a position where he can work and live his life on his own terms."

MAJOR LOSS 

Reeves' journey hasn't been an easy one. In the 1990s, his career was soaring thanks to his turns in blockbusters like Speed and The Matrix. But he faced devastating tragedies in his personal life. In 1993, Reeves' best friend, actor River Phoenix, died of a drug overdose outside L.A.'s Viper Room nightclub at age 23. Five years later, Reeves' then-girlfriend, Jennifer Syme, gave birth to a stillborn daughter when she was eight months pregnant. Syme was killed in a car crash the following year; she was only 28.