Keanu Reeves, 59, reveals 'crippling' obsession with death

Keanu Reeves , known for his "eternally youthful" appearance, recently shared a more reflective side, admitting that thoughts of mortality frequently cross his mind.

"I'm 59, so I'm thinking about death all the time," he revealed during an interview with BBC News .

Keanu's candid comments came while promoting his new novel, The Book of Elsewhere , co-authored with China Miéville.

The novel features an immortal character eager to die, which naturally steered the conversation toward the subject of mortality. Keanu explained his perspective, saying, "Hopefully it's not crippling, but hopefully it's sensitized [us] to an appreciation of the breath we have, and the relationships that we have the potential to have."

The Book of Elsewhere draws inspiration from Keanu's popular BRZRKR comic book series, launched in 2021 and pronounced 'berserker.'

© Murray Close

The series is set for a live-action adaptation on Netflix, with Keanu in the lead role, as well as an upcoming anime series.

"I love the images," Keanu said about comic books. "I love words and storytelling and I love the way that you can have this engagement that overlays. And so you can look at the art and then you can follow the story."

© Mark Wieland

Keanu's reflections on life and death come on the heels of his joyful public appearances with his girlfriend, Alexandra Grant.

The couple recently turned heads at the MotoGP Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix in Germany, where they were all smiles while navigating through the crowd and even had the honor of waving the checkered flag.

The event was a fitting date for Keanu, who founded his custom motorcycle company, ARCH Motorcycle, in 2011.

© Getty Images

In May, Keanu and Alexandra graced the Hammer Museum's Gala in the Garden, dressed to impress, and were later spotted enjoying a dinner at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica.

Their public romance began in November 2019 when they made their red carpet debut at the LACMA Art + Film Gala, sparking a wave of interest.

Alexandra recalled the flood of attention following their public appearance, telling British Vogue, "I think every single person I knew called me in the first week of November, and that's fascinating." The couple, who run the publishing house X Artists’ Books together, have been close friends for decades. Actress Jennifer Tilly revealed in February 2020 that they had been dating "for years." She recounted, "I remember a couple of years ago, about a year and a half ago, [Alexandra] said, ‘Keanu Reeves is my boyfriend,’ and I’m like, ‘Wait. What? What? What?’"

© Momodu Mansaray

Their relationship likely dates back to at least 2011, coinciding with the publication of their book, Ode to Happiness.

Alexandra shared with People in September 2023 how Keanu has influenced her art, saying, "I had a studio visit a few years ago, and this very kind, very high-level person said, 'I can see that your work has gotten happier.' That's real. We're all human beings. We're animals. We're expressing from where we are. I think the work is happier." She described Keanu as her "inspiration."

Keanu, too, has been open about the joy Alexandra brings into his life. He told People last March that his "last moment of bliss" was "a couple of days ago with my honey. We were in bed. We were connected. We were smiling and laughing and giggling. Feeling great. It was just really nice to be together."