The Night I Met
John Wick

Keanu Reeves is now John Wick. The star rose to fame with beloved characters like Neo in The Matrix and Ted in the Bill & Ted movies, but now he's best known as John Wick. Similar to Harrison Ford with Indiana Jones or Daniel Craig with James Bond, the actor has become synonymous with the legendary assassin.

He is, at least to me and many other people who love the John Wick films. At first glance, the movie seemed like a typical vengeance-driven plot not too far from the likes of Taken or Kill Bill. But whereas those films had a pulpy sense of fun to them, John Wick is all dark, broody, and downright dystopian.

Naturally, they'd need an actor like Keanu Reeves to play John Wick. The role demands an emotional intensity that's both deep and desperate, but also dignified. And with the actor's famous black locks and somber expressions, he already had the look down pat. I'm not sure whether the character was written specifically for him, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

The trailers alone told me that this is Keanu Reeves' new icon, possibly for the rest of his career. I had no doubt the movie would be a hit and that he'd knock it out of the park the first time around. And I suspected it would lead to a years-long franchise.

That's why I went out of my way to attend the movie's New York premiere at Regal Union Square Theatre on October 13, 2014. Since I was already living in the city at the time, I figured I'd try to get the cast's autographs there.

I'd actually seen Keanu Reeves in real life before, and you'll never guess where!

The first time was at the premiere of The Matrix Reloaded in 2003. I only saw him from afar, and I didn't get his autograph, so I'd hardly call it an encounter. But the second time was a doozy!

You know those memes of him riding the subway without a care in the world? As if he wasn't one of Hollywood's best stars? Well, I actually got to witness that firsthand! Not only did I ride the subway with him, but he even bumped into me as we boarded the train at the same time.

I didn't ask for his autograph then, of course, because I wanted to respect his privacy, but in that moment I decided I'd get one someday. And the perfect chance finally came when John Wick premiered in the same city.

That said, the man I met that hectic October night felt different from the guy I bumped into on the subway. He may have looked the same, but Reeves carried a different intensity at the premiere. And at the risk of sounding cliché, it felt like I was meeting John Wick instead of Keanu Reeves.

He really bodied that role, and to me it felt like some of the character had followed him onto the carpet. When I finally got his autograph, it didn't feel like it came from the guy who starred in The Matrix movies and the Bill & Ted films. I hadn't even seen the movie yet, but even I could tell the role had a hold on him.

I may sound crazy, but that's how I truly felt. Especially when I met the rest of the cast, like Willem Dafoe, John Leguizamo, Bridget Moynahan, and Alfie Allen. They looked and seemed more like typical movie stars. Keanu Reeves was just built different. He always has been, and thanks to John Wick, always will be.