Keanu Reeves’ undisclosed medical issue has rarely hindered his acting skills, and there’s a good explanation for that. Keanu Reeves has had a prolific career since the early 1990s, starring in and even directing a number of financial and critical successes. Reeves, often regarded as the nicest guy in Hollywood, is one of the few celebrities who is rarely entangled in scandal. Having saying that, life hasn’t always been easy for the John Wick star. Long before he became the internet’s boyfriend, Reeves was just a regular kid, traveling from country to country and dealing with dyslexia, a medical issue that must’ve made school a living hell. Now that he’s reached the pinnacle of international stardom, fans must ask if the John Wick star’s dyslexia has ever been an issue while filming his best films. Keanu Reeves had a distinguished career. Regardless of Dyslexia Keanu Reeves has constructed an excellent career for himself, starring in over a dozen high-grossing films and overcoming various career setbacks.
The Constantine star just proven his mettle once more with another hugely successful John Wick installment. Among this brilliant achievement, though, is a lesser-known chapter: Reeves’ fight with dyslexia; the physical ailment that clouded his early years but, happily, did not impede his ascension to celebrity. When faced with reading issues, Reeves simply couldn’t fit in at school and eventually dropped out after attending four different high schools. “I wasn’t a good student because I had trouble reading,” the John Wick star said to Handbag Magazine in March 2005. “I did not complete high school.” As a child, I used to spend a lot of time pretending. It was my method of dealing with the reality that I didn’t feel like I belonged. But when I was 15, I started acting and got hooked because it was similar to hockey in that it allowed me to be someone else.” Things did not improve when the now 58-year-old enrolled in a performing arts school immediately after dropping out of high school. In an interview with Kevin J. Koffler for his 1998 book, ‘The New Breed: Actors Coming of Age,’ Reeves acknowledged to being dismissed from performing arts school after only one year, albeit this had little to do with his dyslexia.n”I was greasy and I was running around a lot,” he explained.
“I was just a little too rambunctious and yelled a little too often.” I wasn’t always the most well-oiled machine at school. I believe I was just getting in their way.” Has Keanu Reeves’ dyslexia ever caused problems when filming his best films? Surprisingly, Keanu Reeves’ dyslexia has rarely hampered his acting career. In interviews, the now 58-year-old rarely discusses his condition and appears to be able to master his lines almost effortlessly. Indeed, for his main role in the 3D fantasy picture 47 Ronin, Reeves delivered his lines fluently in both Japanese and English, a notable achievement given his early troubles with reading. “I recorded every scene with Japanese dialogue according to the director’s wishes.” “If the director wanted to, he could probably release a full Japanese version of the film,” he stated of his performance in the 2013 film, adding, “Doing a scene in [your native tongue] changes your expression and your emotions follow.” So, after practicing my lines in Japanese and comprehending the feelings I had while delivering them, I was able to perform with my English lines.” Though the learning difficulties caused by dyslexia frequently persist into adulthood, Reeves has remained tight-lipped about any line-learning challenges, despite being incredibly candid about overcoming various on-set hurdles, such as mastering nunchucks for his most recent magnum opus, John Wick: Chapter 4.
“Two pieces of wood with chain… it was a new skill for me, and I wasn’t very good at them,” the now 58-year-old revealed in John Wick Chapter 4 of his struggles with using nunchucks. “But I tried…” What I lacked in technique, I made up for in sincerity… So, I think the most difficult part was learning a new skill and attempting to attain a John Wick-level, which is a really high level.” Keanu Reeves’ Dyslexia: How Did He Overcome It? Keanu Reeves clearly possesses an indomitable spirit capable of surviving the ever-volatile filmmaking industry, having spent ten years in movie jail after starring in the critically panned 2008 science fiction film, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and making a remarkable recovery after a string of commercial disasters in the 2010s. This tenacity turned out to be crucial in overcoming his early bouts with dyslexia. Despite being ridiculed at school for his reading difficulties, Reeves developed an insatiable quest for information, immersing himself in a myriad of periodicals. “I’m not a big reader,” he admitted to Esquire in February 2017. “However, I enjoy reading.” I go through several phases. There’s always a book somewhere.”
But don’t be fooled by his modesty. According to Esquire, the 58-year-old has read everything from Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time” to Petronius’ “The Satyricon” to John Rechy’s “City of Night.” It’s no surprise that Reeves has rarely struggled with memorizing lines for film parts after having studied such dense literary books. While it’s possible that reading helped him overcome his dyslexia-related issues, the 58-year-old actor has been reluctant to admit it. When Esquire questioned if his voracious reading habits are a means for him to compensate for his dyslexia and lack of schooling, Reeves declined, opting for a whole different explanation. “I’m not sure. My step-grandfather worked for Encyclopedia Britannica, if I had to pin it to anything,” he explained. “I’d just open them up in my room.” There was an enigma there. “I had a great time.”
