Keanu Reeves opens up about name change dilemma

Keanu Reeves recently revealed the unexpected request he received at the start of his acting career to change his name.

During his appearance on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce on October 15, the 61-year-old  actor reminisced about his transition from Toronto to Los Angeles.

Reeves recounted how, at 20 years old, he drove to Los Angeles after acquiring a manager there. Upon his arrival, he was met with a surprise suggestion: “We want to change your name”. He described this moment as his “Welcome to Hollywood”, which left him questioning his identity. “I remember I was on the beach, walking just like, ‘My name? What if I change my name?’ ”, he reflected.

 

When I asked Jason if his team had any name suggestions, Reeves responded, “No”. Instead, he had to brainstorm possibilities himself, considering options like “Chuck” from his middle names, Charles and “Chuck Spadina”, after the street he grew up on.

Ultimately, they settled on “K.C. Reeves”, but Reeves admitted he struggled to embrace the new name. “I would be in auditions and they would go, ‘K. C. Reeves?’ And I wouldn’t even answer”, he explained. Six months later, he decided to abandon the name altogether.

Interestingly, the moniker “K.C. Reeves” was used in a 1986 episode of “The Magical World of Disney”, marking an early chapter in his storied career.