Winona Ryder, I've been married to Keanu Reeves since we starred in 1992's Dracula.
Are you and Winona Ryder technically married?
Winona says we are.
Coppola says we are.
So I guess we're married.
Hey, I'm Keanu Reeves and Esquire has asked me to explain some things about my life and career.
Here we go.
What is the most surreal part of portraying Neo again?
Hmm, surreal.
Life is but a dream.
I've never had the chance to play a role, you know, 15, 16, 17 years later.
And that's some of what the film's about.
So this idea of a past and memory and fiction and reality. and truth and, and, and, and.
If this was real life, which pill would you take and why?
Red pill, blue pill.
You know, reality and existence is tough enough.
So it would be great to have the red pill so you could at least start from there.
But you know, maybe they could have a blue pill for like a vacation.
You know, like the vacation blue pill.
But it still wouldn't be good as going on vacation on a red pill.
OK, next.
Are you ever going to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Isn't it bigger than a universe?
It's almost like a multiverse.
It's a Marvel-verse.
You know, it would be an honor.
There's some really amazing directors and visionaries and you know they're doing something no one's really ever done.
It's special in that sense, in terms of the scale, the ambition, the production.
So it'd be cool to be a part of that.
Will Smith famously turned down the role of Neo.
How do you think this impacted your career?
Well, it changed my life.
And it was such a wonderful creative experience.
And so to play Neo in the Matrix trilogy and now in the fourth.
It impacted my life personally and creatively.
Thank you very much.
Fans have been dying for Neo or John Wick to appear in a Mortal Kombat game.
If it were up to you, would you allow it to happen?
If it was up to me, no.
Mortal Kombat is awesome in so many ways.
But I think, you know, Neo, John Wick, yeah, man, they're doing their own thing.
Mortal Kombat's doing You play a Canadian on a motorbike.
Was this toy written especially for you?
When did your obsession with motorbikes begin?
And this is Toy Story 4, and this is Duke Caboom, Canada's Greatest Stuntman.
No, it was not written for me.
But the filmmakers were very collaborative.
And so I got to really participate and offer things for the character.
And Duke Caboom, I love you, Duke.
Yeah, I know.
It's been difficult.
My obsession with motorbikes began probably when I was a kid, like so many things imprinted in my neurons seeing these motorcycle gangs coming to.
I grew up in Toronto Canada, and in the summer these motorcycle gangs were coming to Yorkville.
And I was like the reality of the fiction of my memory is that just being like an 11 10 year old kid and like how some people like look at firemen like i want to be like.
But for me it was the motorcycles like they just seemed like there was a sense of freedom mystery power, charisma and they look like fun.
I highly recommend it, before they take all everything away with, like you know, automatic driving and you don't touch the wheel, get a motorcycle.
And what sort of girls do you like?
Oh gosh, what sort of girls do i like What?
I'm not answering that question here.
And I didn't answer it then.
And what kind of girls?
I mean, look, look at my reaction to that.
So this interview on Big Breakfast in London with Polly Yates was part of publicity for Dracula.
Yeah.
Francis Ford Coppola.
And yeah, so that was then.
Now, Winona Ryder, I've been married to Keanu Reeves since we starred in 1992's Dracula.
Are you and Winona Ryder technically married?
We did a whole take of a marriage ceremony with real priests.
Winona says we are.
Coppola says we are.
So I guess we're married.
Under the eyes of God.
Favorite thing about working with Diane Keaton?
Favorite thing.
How in the moment she is.
Whatever that moment she's in and how that way of being is so original and extraordinary.
Does Keanu Reeves really know martial arts?
As a kid you know you take stage fighting and fencing and how to throw punches, but I don't really know martial arts.
As I like to say, I know movie Kung Fu.
You know I've had the opportunity to work with so many incredible martial artists and stunt people.
But to answer the question, Answer the question Reeves which fighting styles have you enjoyed learning during your filmmaking career?
I've enjoyed learning them all.
I feel really fortunate to have the opportunity to do this physical acting and fake fights are fun.
Which character do you enjoy playing more, Neo or John Wick?
You know, I can't choose them.
It's like choosing kids.
I mean, the mores, the bests.
I mean, it's interesting.
They both have this kind of John Wick and then there's John, this duality to them.
Neo Thomas Anderson has that same kind of duality.
So I kind of feel like I'm playing two characters at the same time in one.
Okay, Constantine.
Constantine has become an underground favorite among DC superhero fans.
Could you see your character coming back for a new DC movie?
I love playing Constantine.
John Constantine.
I've played a lot of Johns.
How many Johns have I played?
I don't even know.
I think it's over.
But anyway, I'd love to have the chance to play Constantine again.
Of all the films you starred in during the 90s, which was your favorite?
Which was your favorite?
Here we go again, Esquire.
So they're looking at a list here.
They have A Walk in the Clouds, Devil's Advocate.
Much Ado About Nothing.
Point Break, Speed Feeling Minnesota.
I'm not gonna pick a favorite.
I have searing, incredible memories from all of these films.
I will say that working on Devil's Advocate and getting the chance to act with Al Pacino.
I mean, what's your most lasting memory from making this movie?
Yeah.
River Phoenix.
We lost Patrick Swayze in 2009.
What did you learn from him as an actor?
He was a beautiful man.
Wonderful artist.
So dedicated.
So giving, open, warm, caring, passionate.
Gave it his all.
Just rolling up the sleeves and loving what you do.
Do your best.
He was beautiful.
He was beautiful.
Okay, do you have any favorite memories of working with comedy legend George Carlin?
A legend, a legend comedian, a legend human being, and...
He was really awesome to Alex and such an important voice.
He signed an autograph for me.
I didn't ask very often, but I asked him for an autograph and I thought what he wrote to me was really special, which was Keanu you.
And that made me laugh and I loved it.
And then one day I met another person who got a George Garland autograph and he wrote their name and you
And I just think that's awesome.
How did your role in Always Be My Maybe come to be?
Did you have fun creating a heightened version of yourself?
Yeah, that was really cool.
The scene where he's eating, right?
There's a scene where, like that scene with someone, they let me just be like, do whatever you want.
I just wanted to keep making out with Allie.
So it was just like, just, oh.
It's fun to play your heightened self.
You starred opposite Sandra Bullock in Speed and The Lake House.
Any chance we will see you two reunite on screen again in the future?
I sure hope so.
She's such a wonderful artist and person.
And you know, I think we have good chemistry and it would be really exciting and interesting to get the chance to perform with her again.
Best memory from filming Paula Abdul's Rush Rush music video.
Bonkers!
Paula Abdul and I kissed on the lips, which is bonkers, but cool.
Thank you, Paula.
Thank you, Esquire, for this opportunity.
If you made it through all of this, and I hope you enjoyed it.
Cheers.
Thank you.
