People: Keanu Reeves: Didn’t respond to calls during auditions

Hollywood star Keanu Reeves has told how, early in his career, he briefly appeared under a different name at the request of his manager. “I was 20 years old, driving my car to Los Angeles, got out of my car and my manager said, ‘We want to change your name,'” the 61-year-old reported on the “New Heights” podcast when asked about his “Welcome to Hollywood” moment. When he moved to Hollywood, he had already worked as an actor in Canada for several years.

He then had to think about what name he wanted to be known by and then adopted the stage name KC Reeves, says the Canadian, burying his face in his hands as he remembers it. Reeves says he believes he was also credited as KC Reeves in his first few films. An old video on YouTube also shows him introducing himself as KC Reeves as a young man.

“And then I couldn’t do it,” Reeves continues. “I was at auditions and they asked, ‘KC Reeves’? And I didn’t even answer.” Six months later he thought to himself: “I won’t do that anymore.”

Reeves can currently be seen in the action comedy “Good Fortune”. The first name Keanu means “cool breeze” in Hawaiian. Other actors have spoken about how their managers suggested they change their names. Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio should actually call himself Lenny Williams after a manager advised him.