Keanu Reeves gave it his all while motion capturing his role as a “junkie mech pilot” for Amazon’s gaming anthology series.
Keanu Reeves always seems to have a story that shows how kind and humble he is. The 60-year-old Sonic the Hedgehog 3 actor has done things like buy $10,000 engraved Rolex watches for his stunt team after filming John Wick 4 and share thoughtful views on the rise of AI in Hollywood.
He also stays grounded and avoids showing off his fame in everyday situations. His latest role in Prime Video’s Secret Level, where he used motion capture to bring his character to life, is yet another example of his hard work and commitment to delivering something special.
In an interview with Collider, Secret Level creators Dave Wilson and Tim Miller talked about working with Keanu Reeves on the episode “Asset Management.” In this story, Reeves plays a tough mech pilot stranded on a frozen planet, tasked with a mission that could finally end his long war against terrifying creatures. Wilson and Miller remembered being amazed when Reeves sent them a video saying, “Junkie mech pilot. I’m in.”
Dave Wilson shared a story about Keanu Reeves that shows just how kind, prepared, and dedicated he really is.
People always talk about how amazing Keanu is, and he truly lives up to it, I kept thinking, ‘At some point, the act will drop, and the saying about not meeting your heroes will be true.’ But two weeks before filming, we got an email from him. He said, ‘Dave, Tim, I’ve got bad news. I fractured my kneecap.’ As I read it, I was sure he’d say he couldn’t do it. Instead, he wrote, ‘I’ve learned all my lines, I’m ready to go, and I can shoot for five minutes at a time if I take the brace off.’ I was shocked. He still wanted to do it! So I told him, ‘Don’t worry about it. Keep the brace on. We’ll give your character a limp and a brace.’
Wilson said
Wilson continued sharing the story, saying,
Keanu showed up, and after about two hours, I could tell he was in pain. His knee injury was fresh, and it was swollen to the size of Tim’s head. After a while, he said, ‘Dave,’ and I asked, ‘Do you want to come back tomorrow?’ But he replied, ‘Let’s just finish it all now.’ I was shocked. He worked for 13 hours straight with that brace on! He didn’t take long breaks—just stepped out for a quick cigarette and came right back, saying, ‘Let’s go again!’ He’s an incredible person. It’s rare to work with someone at his level who gives their all simply because they love what they do.
Related: A Halo And Doom ‘Secret Level’ Crossover Was Shot Down By Microsoft, Says Creator
On top of everything else about Keanu Reeves’ dedication, Wilson shared that Reeves filmed his scenes even though he was sick.
You could tell he had a cold. The runny nose and cough you see—it’s all real, not acting. He kept going and shot through it all. It was amazing.
Wilson said
Keanu Reeves always gives his best, no matter the role. For his part as Shadow the Hedgehog in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, he did deep research to truly bring the character to life. Even when it takes a toll on him, Reeves stays committed to his work, showing just how dedicated he is.
All episodes of Secret Level are now streaming on Prime Video, and the show has been renewed for a second season.
Source: Gizmodo