Keanu Reeves on His Career and the Experience of Watching Himself on Screen
Keanu Reeves, the 61-year-old actor known for his iconic roles in films like The Matrix and Point Break, is currently making waves on Broadway. He is starring in a revival of Samuel Beckett’s classic play Waiting for Godot, alongside his longtime friend and costar Alex Winter. The pair first worked together in 1989’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and now, 35 years later, they have reunited for this thought-provoking production.
During a recent discussion at The New Yorker Festival, Reeves was asked whether he intentionally watches movies in which he has appeared. The question came up during a conversation with Winter and culture critic Naomi Fry. Reeves admitted that while he doesn’t often go out of his way to watch his own films, he sometimes stumbles upon them while browsing or scrolling through media.
“I mean, maybe while I’m scrolling or moving and thinking, ‘There, oh yes, Point Break is on,’ ” Reeves said, referencing his 1991 action film where he played an undercover FBI agent. He added with a laugh, “Or, ‘Oh wow, Matrix, all right. The Matrix Reloaded, f--- yes.’”
Reeves continued, “Anyway, not yes, no. … I haven’t like just put one on.” This admission highlights his tendency to avoid revisiting his past work, even though he has been involved in some of the most memorable films of the last few decades.
Winter, who also appeared in Bill & Ted and is now co-starring with Reeves in Waiting for Godot, shared similar sentiments about watching himself on screen. He explained that he rarely watches his own performances, noting that it can be an uncomfortable experience.
“I don’t really, I don’t. I don’t like watching myself much, so I don’t tend to watch stuff I’ve done,” Winter said. He added, “With my last film, actually I did watch. It was just an incredible theater in Toronto, and I wanted to see the audience response, but I don’t tend to do that. And when I do, I feel like a complete, almost like a complete disconnection from the whole thing, you know? So I don’t end up with an analytical response to whatever it is … sort of dissociative.”
The two actors’ perspectives on their own work reflect a common challenge among performers: the difficulty of separating personal identity from professional roles. For both Reeves and Winter, the act of watching themselves on screen can be jarring, leading to a sense of detachment rather than reflection.
Their current collaboration in Waiting for Godot offers a different kind of experience. In the play, they portray Estragon and Vladimir, two characters who wait endlessly by a tree for a mysterious figure named Godot. Their conversations and interactions with strangers form the core of the story, exploring themes of time, purpose, and human connection.
The Broadway revival of Waiting for Godot has already generated significant interest, with tickets now available for audiences. The production brings together two actors who have shared a long history in the entertainment industry, reuniting them in a role that challenges them to engage with the philosophical and emotional depth of Beckett’s work.
For fans of Reeves and Winter, this collaboration is a nostalgic yet fresh opportunity to see how their dynamic has evolved over the years. While they may not often revisit their past roles, their presence on stage in Waiting for Godot serves as a testament to their enduring talent and the lasting impact of their earlier work.
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