Keanu Reeves and me
Remember how just recently I was in LA for the SCBWI annual summer meeting? And I met Editor Wendy for the very first time and we went out for a delicious sushi dinner in a teeny tiny restaurant?
Well, apparently, I sat within SPITTING DISTANCE and actually FACING Keanu Reeves for the ENTIRE dinner which lasted at least a couple of hours AND I DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE HIM! Sigh. How could this be? I even saw the Matrix twice. Plus, when you dine out in Hollywood, you're supposed to be on the lookout for celebs. How did I miss him?
After a couple of days of hanging my unobservant, inattentive head in shame, I decided to take action.
I contacted my very good friend Maureen McGowan. Maureen knows anything and everything about movies and directors and producers and actors, etc. She writes a mean film review. She even attends the Toronto International Film Festival every year without fail. If anyone knows how I can sharpen my star-spotting skills (obviously I need no help with alliteration), it's Maureen.
Guess what Maureen admitted? One year, at the film festival, she walked right past Keanu. He was close enough that she could've reached out and pinched him. But she just didn't see him.
Ahhh. The mystery is solved. It's not me. It's Keanu. There's something elusive and slippery about the guy. Probably we could be the only two people sharing an elevator, and I would still look through him.
Actually, it's too bad he didn't spot me at the sushi restaurant. According to an eye-witness, Keanu was very quiet during his meal and did not even talk to the woman he was with.
He could've taken a step and a half and joined our table. Editor Wendy is tres entertaining and no slouch when it comes to lively conversation.
Plus, Keanu and I have quite a bit in common. We both grew up in Toronto. He was a goalie for his high school hockey team. I took skating lessons. He was a manager at a pasta restaurant. I've eaten my fair share of pasta. Obviously, we both like sushi. Come to think of it, there are many moments when our paths could've crossed.
And whose to say they didn't...
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True story, but one of my very good friend's cousins left her husband and her family to be with Keanu. They apparently lived together for sometime, but aren't together anymore.
ReplyDeleteKristina, I did read somewhere that he has commitment issues... Not that I'm a Keanu Reeves expert or anything....
ReplyDeleteIt's not me, it's Keanu...love that line!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'd be kicking myself for not noticing him. He's hot!
ReplyDeletePerhaps Keanu was not really there but in the Matrix. My son and I loved those movies.
ReplyDeleteI bet you had a better time chatting with your editor than if you'd felt self conscious in front of a celebrity. You got to be the star for the evening. Perhaps Keanu was noticing you: who's that new author with her editor?
I’ll keep my eyes open for Keanu at the Toronto Film Festival in September. And if I see him (recognize him!) I’ll tell him he missed the prefect opportunity to meet his soul mate!
ReplyDeleteHe is a slippery sort, isn't he? An untrustworthy sort. I'm not a huge Keanu fan, though.:)
ReplyDeleteThat's crazy that you didn't know it was him. He must look different in person. I'll be keeping my eye out for famous people now. You never know...:)
ReplyDeleteyou obviously move in different matrices, barrie ;) lol
ReplyDeleteHe must be very masterful to elude detection! I may have to upgrade my opinion on his acting!
ReplyDeleteI think it was the not talking that made you miss him. He's got a very distinctive voice, I think. When he doesn't talk, he's probably totally camoflaged!! :)
ReplyDeleteBesides, you were eating with your editor. No WAY can you be thinking about other stars, when YOU'RE being one.
sigh . . .
ReplyDeleteI'm seeing Keanu doing the Jedi mind trick. "this is not the celebrity you are looking for."
ReplyDeleteI think I read recently that he is dating Cameron Diaz - again?
ReplyDeleteDon't they ALL have commitment issues?
Kat
It must be especially nice to be famous AND difficult to identify while out in public...
ReplyDeleteI bet he didn't join your table because he was intimidated by two such beautiful and vivacious ladies ;)
My sister who lives in LA says her husband has a knack for recognizing celebs, but she can never recognize them without their makeup.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it must have been hard to recognize him without the make-up. My kids claim to have seen all kinds of famous people at Disneyland (5 minutes from our house, we used to go ALL the time). I never recognized them. Maybe it's a middle-age thing.
ReplyDeleteHa! Actually I did see him. I was trying to take a picture that so didn't turn out. Would've been better to just look. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was at the premiere of Thumbsucker, (found where I blogged about it here), a movie I actually really liked. He came off the stage after the introductions and I was sitting on an aisle seat, so yes, I could've totally been a freak and reached out to grab him. :-) But then I would've been tossed out and missed the movie. ;-)
Did I miss the part when you told us how you figured out he was there in the first place if you didn't even see him?? How did you figure that out? LOVE this story...so funny!
ReplyDeleteWell Keanu's issues must have rubbed off on Robert Redford because I barely missed walking right into him in Hollywood and didn't know until the friend I was with told me what I'd done!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are practically soul mates!
ReplyDeleteHe was probably wondering how he could muster up the courage to come and ask you for an autograph.
ReplyDeletetoo bad. he missed his chance.
you know i may have missed him a few times myself.
ReplyDeletelike he missed paying the matrix m.t.v. cat.
you can pay her now if you like.
therightangle2@gmail.com
hi barrie! was it japanese? my friend jacqui was at scbwi and dined right across from him too! he looked like a hobo? =(
ReplyDeleteStill...you were in the same room as Keanu.
ReplyDeleteCrazy. :)
ReplyDeleteJust watched "Parenthood" again with the kids. Keanu's role as the slacker (shockingly miscast, I know) is hysterical, as is the whole movie. It gets more relevant as my kids get older.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking your editor was so much fun you didn't have time to check out your surroundings. That's a great thing.
ReplyDeleteHow funny! I'm no expert on Keanu, but I think he's the type of person who goes out of his way to NOT be noticed. Besides, you only had eyes for Editor Wendy, and that's a good thing :)
ReplyDeletemy cat is the cat in the mtv matrix skit.
ReplyDeletei didn't recognise him at all.
he's an actor that's their job.
i'd commit to him in a mili-second.
No doubt he was listening in on your conversation - but so cool to be near such fame and not 'feel' it!
ReplyDeleteyou did not recognize my faviorite star!!!!
ReplyDeleteoh well..
better luck next time..
lol he is camouflaged, btw may be it is good for him, so paparazzi don't go after him, lol... Anna :)
ReplyDeleteI never recognize celebrities. If I do? I forget their names. I just don't have a celebrity brain ...
ReplyDeleteYou are so funny!!! I love the past reference! LOL
ReplyDeleteAnd I've seen Tom Selleck and some other celebrities. Now, I KNEW Tom, he played volley ball against my husband in Hawaii, but the others? Had no clue who they were!