Keanu Reeves may be brought up during conversations about some of the most iconic movies from time to time, but there are also a great number of movies many might forget that the actor has been a part of. From John Wick to The Matrix, there is no genre he has left unturned or unexplored. As an actor, he has won the hearts of both his fans and his co-stars. As a person, he is loved by basically everyone.
One particular movie that subsequently managed to almost sabotage his career seemed to be a lucky miss for the actor. Four years after that, he would find himself rising as an up-and-coming superstar thanks to his key role as Neo. However, after Speed and before The Matrix, there was Johnny Mnemonic.
Keanu Reeves had to Fight Against His Fear of Heights
Keanu Reeves has a huge fear of heights and he is not one to hide it. If given the option, he would go for something more grounded rather than having to stand atop a tall building. However, he fought against his urge to do exactly that and instead used his strong sense of will to complete a stunt while filming Johnny Mnemonic.
“I never had a sense of being in a dangerous situation.”
He was seen dangling from a tall building and it was not a very calming sight for even the audience. Reeves saw it in a completely different manner. As there was a platform, he could negate any thought he had about being much above ground level and instead enjoy having to hang from the edge. The entire setup was so safe that the actor put all his trust in a single wire and a harness while there was fire all around him, helping him not think about the height he was hanging from.
Val Kilmer Was Initially Set To Play The Lead In Johnny Mnemonic
Before Keanu Reeves took over, Val Kilmer was getting ready to play the protagonist in Johnny Mnemonic. Kilmer decided to leave the film and was later replaced by Reeves. The actor got a better offer, one he could not refuse. He left the film to play the lead in Batman Forever. Ironically enough, Kilmer and Reeves have often found themselves replacing each other in movies despite never having worked together.
From The Doors to Johnny Mnemonic and Heat, the actors have replaced each other many times. Reeves auditioned for the role of Jim Morrison in The Doors, a role that ultimately went to Val Kilmer. Later he replaced Kilmer in Robert Longo’s film. Followed by Kilmer replacing him in Heat when he had to back out of the film.
Source: The Bobby Wygant Archive
