Keanu Reeves Has A Clause In His Contracts Prohibiting Unapproved Digital Alteration Of His Performances

Keanu Reeves made a name for himself as an action star in films like "Point Break" and "Speed" and further solidifyed his leading man status in notable franchises like "The Matrix" and "John Wick." However, his talent allows him to venture beyond the genre. He showed off his funny bone in the sci-fi comedy "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" and demonstrated his softer side in rom-coms like "Something's Gotta Give." As a performer, his talents run the gamut. With his ability to portray a wide range of emotions, it's no wonder that he's one of the biggest names in Hollywood. His reputation was built on that ability to evoke genuine human emotion, an asset that he's not willing to sacrifice under any circumstances.

As the use of technology in the entertainment industry evolves, Reeves has taken extra measures to ensure that his performances aren't digitally altered without his permission. Reeves has made it his mission to make sure that his scenes get minimal modification, a tall order when filmmakers often rely on editors and VFX artists to make everything look perfect in post-production. It might seem an unorthodox request, but his reasoning actually makes a lot of sense in today's tech-obsessed climate.

Without visual effects, movies like "Avatar" and "Guardians of the Galaxy" would be impossible to realize. It's a fine line between digital alteration and deepfakes, a gray area that Keanu Reeves doesn't care to venture into. Ahead of the premiere of "John Wick: Chapter 4," Reeves and director Chad Stahelski sat down with Wired to touch on their commitment to not overdoing it with VFX. In the interview, Reeves admitted to having a clause in his contracts that prevents the digital alteration of his performances without his permission, though that wasn't always the case.

"I don't mind if someone takes a blink out during an edit," Reeves said. "But early on, in the early 2000s, or it might have been the '90s, I had a performance changed. They added a tear to my face, and I was just like, 'Huh?!' It was like, I don't even have to be here." He continued to elaborate after the interviewer brought up Bruce Willis' appearance in a deepfake Russian commercial. "What's frustrating about that is you lose your agency. When you give a performance in a film, you know you're going to be edited, but you're participating in that. If you go into deepfake land, it has none of your points of view," Reeves explained.

The choice only confirms that Reeves is extremely dedicated to his craft. As technology continues to advance, it will be interesting to see whether he ever changes his mind.