While visiting Phoenix to cover the latest U2 album for Rolling Stone in 1987, writer Steve Pond had the chance to visit the set of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. While on set, Pond was able to interview the two young “stars” of the film, Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves, who were virtually unknown at the time. With Bill & Ted not making a whole lot of waves when it hit theaters, and only later becoming a sleeper hit, the interview with the actors was never published and sat on a dusty, old tape cassette until now.
Timed to the theater and VOD release of Bill and Ted Face the Music, Pond published the unearthed interview in The Wrap, and it offers an endearing look at a young Reeves at the literal beginning of his career. While modern audiences know the actor as the blockbuster star of The Matrix and John Wick films, along with such ’90s classics as Speed and The Devil’s Advocate, Pond met a 22-year-old kid in Phoenix who wasn’t sure if he was cut out for this whole acting thing as he attempted to describe his now-iconic role of Ted “Theodore” Logan.
“He’s not the wittiest guy and not the smartest. You know, you wouldn’t want to talk about quantum theories and stuff like that. But I can’t talk about that either.”
Reeves frowned when I asked how long he had been acting. “Well… I don’t know if I’m acting now,” he said. “I’m pretty bad.” Pause. “I mean, I’m OK, but I hate acting most of the time that I do it.” The future star sidestepped whether he’d pursue another line of work. “I have other interests,” he said, “but none as all-consuming as this godawful job.”
Obviously, Reeves found his confidence and went on to spend the next 30+ years as a box-office staple, although he was being sincere about his other interests. The actor has dabbled in playing a band, motorcycle repair, and he’s in the midst of writing his first comic book — which he also wouldn’t mind turning into a movie.
(Via The Wrap)