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Keanu Reeves Dishes on Working with Acting Legend Gene Hackman
It’s been nearly eight months since we last saw acting legend Gene Hackman on the big screen, but his former co-stars are still singing his praises. The latest to share his experience is none other than Keanu Reeves, who worked alongside Hackman in the 2000 sports drama, The Replacements.
Appearing on Jason and Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast, Reeves opened up about Hackman’s presence, both on and off-screen. “He was such a gentleman and a hero of mine,” Reeves shared.
“When you look at his career, the breadth of roles like comedy, drama, the filmmakers [he’s worked with], it’s just so special. And he was really nice to me.”
While Reeves clearly had a positive working relationship with Hackman, the John Wick star did admit that Hackman could be a bit chilly towards those he felt weren’t pulling their weight on set. “Basically, he was like no nonsense, no b******t came to work ready to go, knew the lines, knew what was going on, and didn’t really suffer people who weren’t doing that,” Reeves revealed.
For those who earned Hackman’s disapproval, Reeves described the actor’s stony “look” as a way to get cast and crew members in line, even humorously recreating the stare for the Kelce brothers. “Sounds like a real coach,” Travis Kelce observed with a laugh, drawing a comparison to Andy Reid.
Despite these occasional tense moments, Reeves emphasized how much he enjoyed working with Hackman. “He was a total pro,” Reeves reiterated. “Total pro and a gentleman and sweet.”
And for those wondering about the persistent rumor of Reeves being offered a professional football try-out with the Baltimore Ravens after The Replacements, Reeves hilariously set the record straight: “That’s absolutely nonsense.”