While 2019 has undoubtedly been the year of Keanu, he has been lighting up screens across the world for nearly four decades. Four decades of roaming through time and space, kicking butt and completely disregarding names. Keanu has become a staple of American cinema, etching his legacy as a truly iconic action hero in film after film after film. Keanu has encompassed vengeance itself, he has been the one, he’s taken on samurai and traveled through time. It seems like it’s impossible to find a task the Keanu can’t overcome, so with the help of the Myers-Briggs Personality Index let’s take a look at some of the indomitable personalities that Reeves has brought to life. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to learn a few lessons from the tao of Keanu Reeves.
Johnny Utah in Point Break: The Virtuoso - ISTP
Johnny Utah like many of Reeves’ other roles is an ISTP. ISTP’s are often found in the law enforcement profession. They are incredibly gifted when it comes to sniffing out suspects and taking the necessary actions to keep the culprit locked behind bars for a long time. This personality type, as the title may suggest, is a type that could pick up just about any skill required or desired. They are careful, attentive, and always peering into the details of a subject with the end-goal always aimed at comprehension. So whether it’s mastering marksmanship and martial arts like fellow ISTP John Wick or just being the best damn federal agent that ever surfed the ocean blue, ISTP’s can be trusted to handle the tough stuff.
Kevin Lomax in The Devil's Advocate: The Architect - INTJ
Throughout the course of The Devil’s Advocate viewers watch as Reeves’ Kevin Lomax delves further and further into the vanity-fueled hellscape his father has placed before him. By the end of the film, Kevin will have ended his life in order to stop his father’s apocalyptic plans. As an INTJ, Kevin focuses almost exclusively on the bigger picture. While the film opens with Kevin defending a child molester in court as his attorney, that move, in Kevin’s mind at least, has nothing to do with the defendant. In Kevin’s mind it a calculated play, a stepping stone towards something greater, larger, and grander. It’s a good thing Kevin is the type to always keep every possible move in his mind a few moves ahead, cause he certainly needs that forethought by the end of the film.
Bob Arctor in Scanner Darkly: The Mediator - INFP
For many reasons, Bob Arctor is a hard personality to type. It could be the fact that he is an undercover officer so deeply undercover that neither he nor other members of the police force truly know who he is. It could also be the fact that his position undercover has caused him to slip further and further into the suspicious Substance D, which, throughout the course of the film slowly fractures his already fractured mind. But here’s what is known about the elusive Bob Arctor. He is often quiet, contemplating to himself, lost in fits of paranoia. He cares deeply about the people around him and the state of the world around him. Even while lost in a near-constant state of paranoid delusions he somehow manages to remain externally calm, he deigns the appearance of someone kept together, intact.
Klaatu in The Day The Earth Stood Still: The Advocate - INFJ
Far be it from human psychologists to try to type an extraterrestrial’s personality, but let’s go ahead and try to apply Myers Briggs’ work to the seemingly unfeeling alien Klaatu. Klaatu is quiet, focused, and thoughtful. While his original mission to Earth revolves around him initiating the destruction of both the planet and the dominant species found on it, after some time spent with Jennifer Connelly’s Helen Benson, Klaatu’s thinking reaches a dramatic shift. Rather than allow Gort to destroy the Earth and the humans along with it, he sacrifices himself and saves a human race he has deemed worthy of his sacrifice. If that’s not the behavior of an advocate, then by Klaatu’s name let us all be vaporized.
John Constantine in Constantine: The Virtuoso - ISTP
Reeves’ John Constatine may vary greatly from the Constantine that fans know and love from the comics, but his film adaptation is still valid none the less. Reeves’ chose to play Constantine as a more introverted person, someone who plays his cards close to the chest but remains inquisitive in nature. His demeanor really sets the tone for a darker and more ominous film filled with the paranormal and violent incidences that occur throughout. He is thoughtful and like many ISTPs he finds himself in somewhat of a law enforcement profession, even if the perpetrators in his case happen to be from Hell.
Keanu Reeves in Always Be My Maybe: The Mediator - INFP
Reeves’ has played a fictionalized version of himself in several films and series, but most recently he can be found in the Netflix original Always Be My Maybe. While this fictionalized version may be a very exaggerated version of some of the qualities of his personality, it presents a great opportunity to dive into Reeves’ personality in real life. It’s very easy to see that Reeves’, unlike many actors, is an introvert. When in interviews and on stage he often directs attention and complements away from himself and towards the people he really credits with helping his succeed. Not wanting to remain in the spotlight is a strange quality for an actor to have. It’s clear Reeves’ does what he does for the love of the craft, love of the exploration and understanding of the mentality of those around him. He feels and empathizes deeply. One of the many reasons we all love him so.
Ted Logan in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure: The Entrepreneur - ESTP
Unlike Reeves’ himself and many of the characters that he chooses to play, Ted Logan is a most excellent extrovert. Having traveled all throughout time and even through the afterlife, Ted Logan is the type of person that can not only make friends anywhere he goes, but also has the fortitude to make his dreams into goals and his goals into reality. Ted and his partner Bill were not only able to create and power the uber-successful band of their dreams, but through hard work, determination, and courage they were able to create a sound that would bring harmony to the universe as a whole. Most excellent indeed.
Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4: The Entertainer - ESFP
Duke Kaboom is another one of Reeves’ extroverted characters and he has the personality type that is most commonly associated with Reeves’ colleagues. Duke is an entertainer through and through. He’s the type that could immediately liven up any party and can often be found wherever the attention is directed. Much like with Reeves’ role as Ted, Duke can make friends with nearly anyone. He is outgoing and driven mainly by his emotions, which grants him the ability to immediately connect with and relate to nearly anyone. While the need for attention can often drive this personality type to make some questionable decisions, if they can manage to keep that aspect of their personality in check, there’s no telling how high they can fly (through the air on a dope motorcycle).
John Wick in John Wick: The Virtuoso - ISTP
Like many of Reeves’ other roles, John Wick is a virtuoso. But not just a virtuoso, he is THE virtuoso. John has spent the better half of his life devoted to the art of kicking wholesale ass. Unfortunately, for just about everyone who has ever crossed paths with the guy, not only is he incredible at it, but they received a two-for-one coupon without even realizing it. While Wick may have been naturally talented at some point, his hard work and dedication to his craft have taken him to a level hitherto undreamt of (as Dr. Strange might put it).
Neo in The Matrix: The Logician - INTP
Neo, The One. Like many INTPs, Neo is not a man that will fit inside of any system. Not even the perfect human system designed by hyper-intelligent AI. INTPs like Neo see through the monotonous patterns and systems that have been set up and somehow keep the masses in line. Neo is not one to be held in by any sort of structure, but what is also key in his ability to break through the invisible chains that the machines have set up is his ability to really think about the patterns and systems that surround him. Without careful thought and consideration, Neo would still be locked inside the machine struggling to understand what exactly the Matrix even is.