I can’t wait to read Sarah’s review of Ballerina coming later this week. As she wrote after the London premiere of the film, “this is the first spin-off feature film in the John Wick universe, there is pressure on this film to deliver and prove that John Wick can work without John Wick. Except adding a Keanu cameo to the film and putting Keanu front and center at the premiere makes me think YOU think John Wick can’t work without John Wick.” 

 

Keanu was front and center again last night at the LA premiere. Not that anyone is complaining! In a reality of constant disappointment, Keanu remains reliable – and I’m not going to even bother knocking on wood. We don’t need luck here, decency is not dependent on the whims of the fortunes. He is decent and steady and good. And, also, he is 60 years old. Which is what he was asked about the other day on Good Morning America – being 60 and still “doing this at such a high level”: 

@gma

How does Keanu Reeves feel to still be 60 and still killing it in movies? Most excellent. #keanureeves #ballerinamovie #johnwick #billandtedsexcellentadventure #movies

♬ original sound - Good Morning America - Good Morning America
 

I don’t hate this question because it’s being asked by a man to a man. It’s the women who often get the age questions as if it’s only half the population that ages. But what’s more interesting in the answer is the characters. All the characters that Keanu refers to that have helped form his fanbase. Ted Logan, Johnny Utah, John Wick of course and the clip below cuts off before he has a chance to finish but of course, red pill blue pill has to come up with The Matrix, right? 

 

In our ongoing conversation about what defines or redefines a movie star, maybe this is one of the qualifications. Keanu Reeves is in the rare position of being associated with not just one, not just two, not just three, but at least half a dozen pop culture standards and/or franchises. You either know him as The One, or as Ted, or as John Wick, or as Johnny Utah, or as Jack Traven in Speed, or if you’re a cult movie fan, Constantine to the point where if he’s walking down the street, on every block there could be another line shouted out at him. And still…at no point was there a risk of overexposure. 

Going back to what Sarah was saying, this is why Ballerina needs him. And why the question is whether or not the JWU can work without him. 

 

But if we’re talking about movie stars, another one has come up: Tom Cruise. By association with Ana de Armas, of course, and he made a point of mentioning Ballerina during the press tour for M:I – The Final Reckoning. So she’s having to answer questions about him and she keeps repeating that they’re working together, telling Variety last night on the carpet that it’s “unbelievable” that he supported Ballerina and that “… he supports every movie. He really wants the industry and cinema to do well and [wants] people going to the theaters. We’re working together, so he got to see ‘Ballerina’ and he actually really liked it. He loved the ‘John Wicks.'”

He's not in the John Wicks, though, but he does keep coming up in relation to it, to the point where even Keanu was asked about it. Keanu’s reaction to the question “why hasn’t [Tom Cruise] been in a John Wick movie” is sending me… 

 

Look at his WTF, LOL. 

So Keanu has a cameo…are we sure Tom Cruise doesn’t have one too?! He might as well! 

 

As for the actual star of the movie, Ana was in a Louis Vuitton slip dress last night for the premiere which is… fine. But I think we officially have to stop expecting her to serve looks because it just keeps not happening. 

Ana de Armas attends the World Premiere of "Ballerina", presented by Lionsgate at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 03, 2025 in Hollywood, California