Keanu Reeves is an actor recognized around the world, probably best known for his role of Neo in The Matrix trilogy. He has starred in a wide range of films including, Point Break, A Walk in the Clouds, and John Wick. His most recent movie is Replicas, where he plays William Foster, a scientist who attempts to bring back his family after they die in a car accident.
Alice Eve has starred in dozens of films including Men in Black 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. And she has also appeared on television shows such as Entourage, Black Mirror, and Iron Fist. In Replicas, she plays Mona Foster, the wife of Reeves' character.
Screen Rant: Congratulations on the film.
Keanu Reeves: Thank you.
Screen Rant: Keanu, you’ve been doing a lot more producing a lately. So, what was it about this that inspired you? But also, Alice, when you open the script up and you see the script for Replicas, what was it that jumped out at you to want to jump onboard?
Alice Eve: You first.
Keanu Reeves: Okay. Yeah, this one, on Replicas I was a creative producer. So, just a part of developing the story, developing the script, working with Chad St. John, the writer. And being a part of the story and the script and the characters. So, I didn't have any really physical production aspect on this. And the pleasure of that is just trying to bring your story to life and having wonderful artists like Alice Eve tell the story.
Screen Rant: You were wonderful Alice.
Alice Eve: Thanks guys. This is really my moment [CHUCKLES]. I liked it because, obviously I'm into this kind of future-- I did a Black Mirror, I did Star Trek. It's already my wheelhouse of interest. But this one felt like, just a sort of little bit fast forward into a little closer future. It’s not 200 years. Maybe it's five years. And these questions will be being asked of ourselves. Maybe all of us, maybe some of us. And that felt, it answered a lot of my questions to see people being replicated if that isn't a spoiler. Sorry. That's cool to me. Because that's something that I'm like, “How would you do that? How would we do that?”
Screen Rant: Sure. Because in the past, in other horror genres in Pet Cemetery, Flatliners, and Frankenstein even, you get this rebirth. So, how do you approach playing a character that's being rebirthed in a sense? And also, what are some of the subtleties that you made, acting wise, from being replicated to being the original?
Alice Eve: I think that what I decided-- Because we had conversations about this, how robotic she was. I think what I decided, for me, was that there was another voice in her head. One that we sometimes have in our own lives that we don't necessarily trust. It's maybe an instinct, maybe it's the heart, who knows? But saying this isn't right or you should go left or don't think like that. And that she had that voice running alongside everything she did. And so, everything felt like a slightly disconnected experience.
Screen Rant: And you guys shot this in beautiful Puerto Rico before the hurricane. And I'm hoping that people go back for tourism out there when they see that shot here. But what was it about that city, or about Puerto Rico in general, that added to the story for you guys?
Alice Eve: The heat
Keanu Reeves: The heat?
Alice Eve: It was intense.
Keanu Reeves: It was intense. Yeah, the heat, the flora—
Alice Eve: The flora.
Keanu Reeves: The ocean.
Alice Eve: Yeah.
Keanu Reeves: And the vibe.
Alice Eve: And the people.
Keanu Reeves: And the people. Yeah.
Screen Rant: That's awesome. Science is catching up to science fiction very rapidly. And especially with something like this. Because I think that science fiction can do its best to inform people about some of the things that are going on and cautionary tales. So, what are you hoping people walk away when they see Replicas? Because this is quite a debate that's going to be happening very soon, like you'd said.
Alice Eve: Well, I guess we want them to think that they’re pro-replication. This is actually a film that is a propaganda movie too—
Keanu Reeves: I don’t know about that.
Alice Eve: [CHUCKLES] No, it’s not that--
Keanu Reeves: Yeah, it deals with cloning, which then turns into immortality with the aspect of consciousness transference. And then it deals with the digitization of consciousness. So, it's working with the body and hardware, which I guess is current. And it's bringing in the cautionary tale is part of the nefarious part of where can this technology-- How this technology can be used. But then it also has a representation of the humanistic positive side of how it can be used. And it's like, “What would you do with it? What will we as our culture, society, deal with the technologies that are coming in?” And, yeah, we're being confronted all the time now. I really feel like we're in a period now where reality is actually ahead of the storytellers.
Screen Rant: I agree. And that's one thing, it's a morality thing for me too. There’s a certain benefits to it. But then you're playing with something that you quite don't understand, that could change everything.
Keanu Reeves: Right. But then when your loved one, who's your partner, disappears, then you're like, “Maybe I will do that cloning thing.”
Screen Rant: It is fascinating at the very least, of an idea. Thank you guys so much for your time.
Keanu Reeves: Thank you.
Alice Eve: That’s so interesting. That’s such an interesting point that reality is ahead of the storytellers. I didn't even think of it.
Screen Rant: You guys are amazing. Thank you so much.
