Keanu Reeves is one name you just can’t miss when looking at action movies in Hollywood. While the actor has convinced audiences with his John Wick personality in the action franchise, he has done way beyond that. Looking back at his filmography, his Speed movie is one of his best projects, which further established his action-star persona in the industry.
Despite the movie’s release three decades ago, it remains a fan-favorite, that gave his career a significant push. Many would be surprised to know that the actor made an unexpected decision for his role that left his entire crew stunned.
Keanu Reeves Reflected on What He Did for Speed Role
Speed is considered one of the defining projects in Keanu Reeves‘ career in which he portrayed the role of Jack Traven, a Los Angeles police officer. His character faced a high-stakes situation, with the actor meticulously pulling off the role, showcasing his dedication to his craft while cementing his status as a leading action star.
He surely nailed his character by bringing his unique charms to the character. Traven is a brave, resourceful, quick thinker, which was made possible due to Reeves’ authenticity and dedication that captivated audiences and critics alike.
In an interview with Collider, the John Wick actor reflected on his 1994 film role, stating how the movie’s plot convinced him for the role. He shared,
I’d just done a movie about bank robbing surfers and now I’m doing a movie about a bus that can’t go over 50mph? It was fun to get into and I liked that Jack Traven wanted to do good, like growing up he wanted to save people.
Since Traven is highly determined to pursue justice and safety, the Point Break actor surprised the crew with an unexpected makeover that no one expected. He added,
When I was thinking about Speed, I thought about SWAT guys and cut all my hair off and the people at the film were screaming at me, ‘What have you done?!’
Who would have expected that the actor would go to such lengths for his action role? Even the film director Jan de Bont reflected on the particular topic, confessing that the movie production was almost in trouble due to Reeves’ haircut mistake.
Keanu Reeves’s Haircut Almost Troubled the Speed Production
Film director Jan de Bont shared his insights into the making of his directorial project, particularly casting Reeves for the officer’s role. However, he had concerns with the actor’s look who looked nothing like the character when he got attached to the project.
The director wanted him to look “like a young adult” with the actor initially boasting a “very boyish” look as per Keanu Reeves: An Excellent Adventure book via Cheatsheet.
While the director wanted small tweaks in his look, Reeves ended up messing his hair which left the executives in fury. They even suggested to “get him a wig“ for the role. When the director rejected the suggestion, they ended up calling his manager to delay the production due to his hair.
They called his manager, they called his agent, they said, ‘We’re going to have to postpone this movie now,’ and I said, ‘No, we have two more weeks, and in two weeks his hair will grow this much. It’s great, it’s what I want.’ They were totally upset.
Despite the unexpected production issues, the movie ended up becoming a hit at the box office, earning over $350.4 million worldwide via Box Office Mojo. Apart from Reeves, the movie also stars Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton, and Jeff Daniels.
Speed is currently streaming on Hulu.
