Keanu Reeves

Also known as

Keanu Charles Reeves

Description

Canadian actor and musician, best known for the John Wick, The Matrix and Speed franchises. For the John Wick films he undertook serious martial arts training: he studied judo for about four months before the first John Wick (2014), performed an ippon-seoi-nage on screen that became the signature technique of the throw's Olympic champion, and received an honorary judo black belt from the International Judo Federation in 2017, presented by Nomura Tadahiro in Tokyo. He trained judo with black belt Monty Collier for John Wick 3: Parabellum (2019) and BJJ with Dave Camarillo, his primary trainer and grappling instructor on John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

Teachers (2)

• person
  Dave Camarillo

  sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Multiple independent sources (Camarillo's own Instagram account, Jiu Jitsu Legacy summarizing his podcast account, and Jitsmagazine) document Camarillo as Reeves' primary trainer and grappling instructor through the John Wick 4 production

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  Private lesson (2020–2023)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Multiple independent sources (Camarillo's own Instagram account, Jiu Jitsu Legacy summarizing his podcast account, and Jitsmagazine) document Camarillo as Reeves' primary trainer and grappling instructor through the John Wick 4 production

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Starting in September, 2020 I spent 14 months away from home on John Wick 4. This picture was taken at the end of a 6 month training preparation for the movie... Keanu! It was an honor to teach you and learn from you and be killed by you!”

  — Dave Camarillo. (2023). Dave Camarillo Instagram post on John Wick 4 (2023-03-24)link info

  “For those fourteen months of shooting, Dave Camarillo was the primary trainer and grappling instructor for Keanu Reeves.”

  — Bobby Bradshaw. (2024). Dave Camarillo Details Time Working on John Wick 4 (Jiu Jitsu Legacy)link history info

  “Dave Camarillo is a veteran Judo and BJJ black belt who worked on John Wick: Chapter 4 to co-ordinate stunts and fightscenes, and footage has gone viral of him teaching Keanu Reeves a beautiful flying triangle choke counter to a single-leg takedown”

  — Sabrina Phillips. (2023). Watch Dave Camarillo Teach Keanu Reeves A Flying Triangle Choke (Jitsmagazine). Jits Magazine link history info
• person
  Monty Collier

  sports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō Probable

  Probable

  Grapplearts (The Strenuous Life Podcast episode 207) documents black belt judoka Monty Collier as Keanu Reeves' judo instructor for John Wick 3

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Private lesson (2018–2019)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Grapplearts (The Strenuous Life Podcast episode 207) documents black belt judoka Monty Collier as Keanu Reeves' judo instructor for John Wick 3

  “Monty Collier, a black belt Judoka who worked with Keanu Reeves to get him ready for the amazing fight sequences in the movie John Wick 3, Parabellum [...] he taught Keanu highly technical Judo throws”

  — Stephan Kesting. (2019). Monty Collier, Keanu Reeve's Judo Instructor for John Wick 3, Parabellum (Grapplearts) link history info

Lineage

• Brazilian jiu-jitsuDave Camarillo ← Ralph Gracie ← Carlos Gracie Jr. ← Rolls Gracie ← Carlson Gracie ← Carlos Gracie · 6 generations

Honours (1)

• receipt_longBlack Belt (honorary) Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Official IJF news article documents the honorary black belt presentation by Nomura Tadahiro in Tokyo; authoritative primary source

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  Title (2017-03-17)

  granted by International Judo Federation

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Official IJF news article documents the honorary black belt presentation by Nomura Tadahiro in Tokyo; authoritative primary source

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Nomura, who retired in 2015, switched roles in Tokyo to present an honorary judo black belt to actor Keanu Reeves.”

  — Mark Pickering. (2017). Nomura Tadahiro presents honorary black belt to Keanu Reeves (IJF)link history info

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Reeves studied judo for four months before taking on a role in action thriller John Wick. Reeves performed an ippon-seoi-nage in the film which was one of Nomura's trademark techniques.”

  — Mark Pickering. (2017). Nomura Tadahiro presents honorary black belt to Keanu Reeves (IJF)link history info

Sources

Identifiers