Plenty of stars get floated as potential holders of the “nicest guy in Hollywood” title, with names such as Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman frequently scoring high in fan polls thanks to their reputations and the way they treat people.
But one low-key favorite is Keanu Reeves, an actor known for keeping his generosity out of the spotlight, happily stopping for autographs, and even showing up as a surprise guest at a fan’s wedding in 2022.
Now, another example of his behind-the-scenes kindness has come to light: the John Wick star was revealed to be an executive producer on a documentary created by a fan when she was just 16—and he also appears in the film.
Although Reeves can choose from major studio projects, it was a message from teenager Bianca Mitchell-Avila five years ago that caught his attention. She asked for support on a documentary focused on women pushing into a competitive space dominated by men, where 85 percent of participants are male.
Motivated by the determination of female chess players trying to shake up a sport long ruled by male grandmasters, the budding filmmaker set out to document her travels across the US and the life lessons she picked up through the game.
A key moment in her original concept, though, hinged on facing off against a well-known figure—someone audiences admire. Mitchell-Avila immediately thought of the Matrix actor and took a long-shot chance by emailing Reeves’ agent.
Speaking to Variety ahead of her documentary’s April 16 premiere, Madwomen’s Game, the now-21-year-old explained: “I was like, ‘You know what would be crazy? If I had an epic battle with John Wick.’”
In her message, she acknowledged the scale of what she was asking, writing: “I know that he is very busy and may not have time to participate in something so small, but I really wanted to take a chance.”
Even so, the odds didn’t matter—because the next morning she received a reply from Reeves himself. “I was struck by the tone, by the ambition, by the vision of it [in] early days,” the actor told the publication.
Reeves added: “And then Bianca and I Zoomed, and what came across from the digital page was definitely the person that I met.”
In the end, the planned one-on-one match with Reeves—who played chess on his high school team—didn’t make it into the final cut. However, he still put his name behind the project, giving the documentary a significant lift.
“In this case, my description of [being an] executive producer was being attached to the project, and whatever value other people thought that that could bring to the project and get it made,” Reeves said.
Mitchell-Avila, who competed in chess as a child, said the Point Break actor remained engaged throughout production, helping keep things moving, offering guidance during challenging stretches, and consistently showing up as a steady source of support.
“You’re in meetings sometimes, and you can tell some people just aren’t listening to you,” she said. “With him, it was the complete opposite. I knew the things that I was saying, he was hearing, and he actually cared about what I was talking about.
“It wasn’t just like, ‘Okay, let me hear you out.’ It was like, ‘What is it that I can help you with?’”
Madwomen’s Game debuts at the Miami Film Festival on April 16.