Keanu Reeves is not one to showcase his partner publicly. The scrutiny that comes with public attention can be quite challenging. Reeves has openly mentioned that he and Winona Ryder consider themselves married, stating, “We’ve been married for 30 years.”
Their wedding was far from conventional, lacking the traditional white dress, bouquet, and a large gathering of family and friends. Although they did have a ceremony, it took place on a film set rather than in a church surrounded by loved ones. This unique event occurred during the filming of the 1992 movie Dracula.
For the wedding scene, Reeves shared that “we performed an entire take of a marriage ceremony with actual priests.” When asked about the legal status of their marriage, he remarked, “Winona claims we are. Coppola claims we are. So I suppose we’re married in the eyes of God.” The film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who aimed to create an aesthetically pleasing scene by using a real church, enhancing the authenticity of the moment. He emphasized the significance of genuine representation, stating, “Having the actual wedding ceremony as it would occur in that religion [Greek Orthodox Christianity] would be beautiful.”
Coppola himself acknowledged that the wedding scene might hold more validity than initially thought. “This is quite authentic and I find it very beautiful, as we genuinely performed the ceremony with the priest,” he noted. “Thus, when we concluded, we realized that Keanu and Winona are indeed married as a result of this scene and ceremony.”
“I believe we’re married in real life”
During the promotion of their 2018 film “Destination Wedding,” Entertainment Weekly interviewed the duo to explore their relationship. Ryder expressed that their vows have convinced God of their marital status.She remarked, “I believe we are married.” She continued, “I truly think we are married in reality. In that scene, Francis employed a genuine Romanian priest. We filmed the master shot, and he conducted the entire ceremony. Therefore, I believe we are married.”
There have long been rumors suggesting that both individuals secretly nurtured deep feelings for each other. However, neither acted upon this attraction, nor did they recognize that it was mutual. Keanu and Winona have maintained a friendship for many years.
Neither “Dracula” nor any other film they collaborated on marked their first or last appearances on screen. Their body of work includes “Destination Wedding,” where they held leading roles, as well as “A Scanner Darkly” and “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee,” in which they played supporting characters. Despite this, their relationship is characterized by both friendship and professional collaboration. They have never dated, yet both are content in committed relationships with others.
Actress Sandra Bullock is also a close friend of Reeve’s. In the December issue of Esquire, she expressed her belief that they would have found happiness together and flourished while many others struggled. She noted that they simply did not give each other the opportunity.
“Keanu is someone who, I feel, maintains friendships with every woman he has ever dated,” Bullock stated.
“I don’t think there is anyone who has anything negative to say about him. Perhaps we could have made it work. I am uncertain. However, we did not have to endure any challenges.”
She concluded by saying, “We simply get to grow alongside each other on parallel paths, exchanging greetings, sharing meals, and attempting to collaborate. As time passes, I find myself increasingly in awe of the person he is.”
Ultimately, she rationalized her perspective by stating, “Would I have been able to express that if he had ended our relationship and left me feeling hurt? Probably not.”
