After the massive success of John Wick: Chapter 4, Keanu Reeves has cemented himself as one of the most successful and versatile actors in the industry. The actor has appeared in several blockbuster films such as The Matrix, Speed, Parenthood, and many more, where he has been praised for his commitment, and for adding authenticity to his roles.
However, that was not always the case, because earlier in his career, the actor was typecasted and his acting skills were not taken seriously by the filmmakers. The actor’s skills are now acknowledged right and he got the respect he deserves. But it turns out Keanu Reeves can be quite self-critical at times, as he believed one of his earlier roles deserved criticism.
Keanu Reeves Believes His Role in Dracula Deserves Criticism
Recently, the Point Break actor made an appearance in the SmartLess podcast, where Reeves acknowledged that some of his roles from the 90s absolutely deserved the criticism. While the actor was doing smash hit films, he also did a number of low-budget films such as The Last Time I Committed Suicide, My Own Private Idaho, and even a Shakespearean movie, Much Ado About Nothing, which put him on the critics’ judgment.
However, the film that Keanu Reeves mentioned in the podcast was Dracula, the 1992 film where he played the role of Jonathan Harker. According to Reeves, he deserved to be criticized because his English accent butchered the film.
“I think Dracula, I got kicked in the teeth and maybe deservedly so for my English accent.”
It was true because when the film was released, the critics did not show any mercy to the film or the actor as most of them criticized the actor’s accent. The film was quite bland and Reeves’ acting was so lightweight that people believed he was horrified by Dracula. Additionally, the film was not well received by the fans either, but does the Little Buddha actor like the movie?
Keanu Reeves Loves Watching Dracula
In the same episode, the Chain Reaction actor stated that despite the immense heat he received from the critics, he loves watching the film as it was “ahead of its time.”
“Anyway, but I think my English accent aside, I think that’s a wonderful film. I think Francis Ford Coppola made a work of art that was maybe ahead of its time. The performance, Gary Oldman, so good.”
Reeves explained that he does not agree to be a part of a movie believing it would be a smash hit at the Box Office. He looks to have “variety” in his roles, and factors like location, filmmaker, and the script of the movie play an important part as well.
“For me, personally, it’s always been how can we have a variety? What’s the filmmaker? Where’s it being made? Again, what’s the script? What’s the story? What’s the role?”
Well, it’s safe to say that the harsh criticism did not faze him, as he went on to work in smash hit films such as Speed, and The Devil’s Advocate, in which Reeves was phenomenal.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) can be streamed on Netflix.
Source: SmartLess Podcast
