Keanu Reeves donates 70% of Matrix’s salary to leukemia research

On the screen Keanu Reeves is back to wearing Neo’s glasses (and not only) for Matrix Resurrection, which inaugurated the new year with a collection of 775 thousand euros in the first two days of release. In reality, however, it remains one of the most generous and kind Hollywood stars, definitely down to earth.

The latest confirmation is linked to the saga of the Wachowski sisters: at the time of the first film, the 57-year-old actor he donated 70% of his salary to charity, more specifically for leukemia research. The figure exceeds 31 million dollars (The check for the part was 10 million in advance and 35 as a bonus in the box office).

In fact, her younger sister Kim has been battling the disease for over 10 years when she was still very young (she was still 25, in 1991), with Reeves always by her side to take care of her, not only emotionally but also financially. To pay for her over 5 million treatment, he sold his home and moved in, continuing to support the cause with a foundation created for her and intended to help two children’s hospitals. Its commitment to children was implemented during the pandemic: in 2020 it auctioned a virtual 15-minute appointment for the Camp Rainbow Gold, an association that helps young cancer patients (it seems to have raised more than 19,000 dollars).

In the two sequels to Matrix gave most of the compensation to the special effects and costume departments and in the last John Wick gave a 10 thousand euro Rolex Submarine cica to each of the four doubles. He never shrank from recognizing their crucial contribution to workers. He had already done something similar when, also in 1999, he gifted the twelve Matrix stunts with a Harley Davidson.

This is not an occasional charity, but a constant attention to those around him, whether it is a woman in the subway to whom she gives way (there is also a video that proves it) or a very young Drew Barrymore to whom at 16 she granted a ride on his motorcycle knowing that the girl considered him an idol.

The stories of his kindness multiply. For example, Olivia Spencer, when she was still a half unknown far from the Academy Award, recalled that in Beverly Hills her car broke down in the middle of the road towards an audition. Very desperate and embarrassed, she did not know what to do: the only person who stopped to help her was Keeves. He got off the bike and pushed the car.

In 2019 he was on a flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles but, due to a passenger’s health problems, he had to make an emergency landing earlier. The actor has decided to rent a bus to take others to their destination as well, instead of taking a limo of his own.

This purity of heart comes from great suffering, from the many losses he suffered in life (from best friend River Phoenix to pregnant girlfriend) that have not hardened him but made him more humane and compassionate.