Keanu Reeves, the man who can silence a room full of baddies with a stare and a pencil, once turned down some seriously iconic roles—Platoon and Heat, to name a couple. According to Slash Film, the man who’d go on to immortalize himself in action flicks like John Wick and The Matrix wasn’t always about that life. He outright turned down a war movie and a legendary crime thriller.
Let’s start with Platoon. In 1986, Oliver Stone was crafting one of the most intense war films ever, and Reeves was offered the lead role of Chris Taylor. But he turned it down. Why? “Keanu turned it down because of the violence. He didn’t want to do violence,” Stone spilled. The future John Wick—the guy who’d go on to break necks and shoot people in the face—decided Platoon was just a little too much for him.
Back then, Keanu wasn’t the action legend we know today. He was still figuring out his Hollywood vibe and wasn’t ready to dive into a brutal war film from an Oscar-winning director. So, Charlie Sheen took over the role, and Platoon became an 80s classic. Keanu? He went on to carve his own action-packed, violence-filled path—just, you know, in his own time.
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But don’t think Keanu avoided the violent game for too long. Fast forward a few years, and he’s embracing it like a champ. In a 2023 interview with The Telegraph, Keanu dropped this gem when discussing his role as John Wick: “I liked his suffering. I liked his grief. And then, on the other side of that, I liked his will. I liked his violence.” Whoa. Talk about a glow-up from ‘No thanks, too violent’ to a full-on action legend. Keanu, it turns out, has a special relationship with violence, and it involves some deep emotional stuff.
It took a few years of reflection, but he was ready to dive into those darker, grittier roles that would define his career. And then there’s Heat (1995). Keanu passed on that one, too. Michael Mann’s crime thriller was already stacked with heavy hitters like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer. Stepping into that ring was no small feat, especially for someone still building his resume. Maybe it wasn’t the right time for Keanu to join that high-profile crew. So, the role went to another rising star, and Heat became a legendary piece of cinema history.
So, here we are—Keanu Reeves, who once shied away from the violence in Platoon and Heat, went on to become recognized for hard-hitting roles. It’s wild to think about, but that’s the Keanu we know and love today. Guess he just needed a little time to get into the whole ‘kill ’em with kindness (and violence)’ vibe.
For more such stories, check out Hollywood News.
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