Keanu Reeves is a big name in Hollywood. However, the actor was up for a change in name from Keanu Reaves to something else when he first started out as an actor. What did ‘The Matrix’ star call himself? Keep reading to find out more!
You hear actors come out with weird Hollywood stories from their struggle periods and some of these stories are so hilarious that they are unbelievable. It is close to impossible to imagine Keanu Reeves with some other name. In fact, his unique name is one of the best things about the actor except, of course, some of the golden roles that he has been a part of. Funnily, Keanu Reeves was pushed to change his name at the start of his career and this is what he renamed himself into.
Highlights —
- Keanu Reeves was asked to change his name
- Keanu Reeves changed his name twice
Keanu Reeves was asked to change his name
For years, fans have been torn on the subject of the acting prowess of Keanu Reeves. While some people think that most of his performances follow one single note (we could see why), others simply gush over the smooth presence of the actor on screen. Worthy or not, the actor did not get it all handed to him easy. It’s true that Keanu Reeves, today, is one of the most uttered names in Hollywood and while the actor had made it all happen for himself from scratch, he did have to face a lot of weird demands. It was a bumpy ride for the actor when he first started out in Hollywood. More so, because Keanu Reeves was asked to change his name the first thing after he entered Hollywood.
That’s right! Keanu Reeves, the actor we have all loved and admired in movies like ‘The Matrix’, ‘Speed’, and ‘John Wick’ could have easily had a different name on the credits bit. When Keanu Reeves first arrived in Hollywood, his manager and agents refused to accept his original birth name as it is and pushed him to change his name before getting into auditions. Moreover, it was expected of the actor to come up with a name all by himself with no help, whatsoever, from his team. Two seconds into Hollywood and being asked to get rid of your name. Hollywood is a weird, weird place!
Keanu Reeves changed his name for auditions
Recently, Keanu Reeves revealed the name that he was about to take up. The actor got candid about how his agents and his manager pushed him for a name change the minute he got into Hollywood. Speaking to Jimmy Fallon on ‘The Tonight Show’, the actor said, “I’m 20 years old and I’m going to drive in my first car, and I’m going to drive to Hollywood. And I get there and my manager, my agents say … ‘Great to see you, but we want to change your name’. They did it the first day I got there”.
Naturally, Reeves was stuck in a bit of a jam. Being asked to change his name just to get into auditions seemed like a big deal to the actor. However, Keanu Reeves was there to make it big in the industry and so he obliged. He took some time and decided on a name that he could take to get entry into auditions. Speaking of the moment, Reeves said, “So I go to the ocean because this is a big deal for me … And I scream, ‘What’s my name?’” The name that Keanu Reeves finally decided on was Chuck Spadina, pronounced as Spa-dye-na.
Keanu Reeves changed his name twice
After deciding that he would like to change his name to Chuck Spadina, Keanu Reeves broke the news to his agents and his manager. However, even that name did not suit them and was immediately crossed out. Reeves was shocked at the flat out shooting down of the name he had just come up with and asked, “What’s wrong with Chuck Spadina? Isn’t that the kind of direction you want?” Seemed like it wasn’t!
So, the actor had the tough job of picking out yet another name. This time he decided to make it a little fancy but trendy. Keanu Reeves chose a tri-name to change his name to –Templeton Page Taylor. The choice is understandable given so many Hollywood stars have found a kind of flair in their names that include a middle name. For example, Sarah Jessica Parker or Neil Patrick Harris – all of whose names would sound quite bland if take the middle name out. Nevertheless, even the name Templeton Page Taylor failed to impress the agents of Keanu Reeves and they decided to abort the mission altogether.
Could you think of some alternative names for Keanu Reeves? Let us know in the comments below!
