When you're a star like Keanu Reeves, you can iron in details in your contract with studios. Sharon Stone kept clothes from Basic Instinct thanks to a clause, while Cameron Diaz struck gold with a portion of her contract.
Recently, Keanu Reeves opened up about a unique clause that he includes in his contracts, and we can see other actors taking note and doing the same.
So, what's the clause, and why would others want to do it? Let's hear from the man himself, and learn all about the reasons behind this unique clause.
Keanu Reeves Is A Hollywood Legend, Who Has Starred In The 'Matrix' And 'John Wick' Franchises
Keanu Reeves is easily one of Hollywood's most popular and likable stars, and it has been this way for some time now.
The actor got his start back in the 1980s, and he had several films during that decade that really helped put him on the map. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure was a game changer for the actor, and in the following decade, he took his career to an entirely new level.
Over time, Reeves would star in smash hit films like Point Break, Speed, and The Devil's Advocate.
Eventually, he cracked the code with franchise films. Reeves was the main leading the charge for the Matrix franchise, and in more recent years, he has been the face of the John Wick franchise, which has been instrumental in reigniting his career.
Thanks to his standing in the business, and his years of experience, Reeves is no stranger to working in deals and clauses in his contracts that have paid off massively.
Keanu Reeves Is No Stranger To Working In Beneficial Details In His Movie Contracts, Included Some That Have Made Him Millions
While working on the Matrix franchise, for instance, Keanu struck a deal in his contract that allowed him to cash in on a percentage of the profits that the film's made.
"During an interview, Reeves acknowledged the big rumor that he had given his profits from The Matrix to the production crew. A big portion was given to the special effects and designer crews as part of his “back-end” deal where the actor made money from the profits of the movie."
"The actor cleared a whopping $75 million in profits from the films and from that cash, Keanu gave each member of the production crew $1 million," WRMF reported.
This is far more common with big stars than some would think, and it's generated a ton of wealth for lead stars.
Now, having a clause about money in your contract is one thing, but including a clause regarding your performance is something entirely different. Vin Diesel, for instance, has a clause in his contract that ensures he won't lose a fight on the big screen. For Keanu Reeves, his clause is all about digital alterations.
Keanu Reeves' No Digital Edits Clause Is Brilliant, And Other Actors Should Consider Doing The Same
When speaking with Wired, Reeves was asked about a unique clause that forbids digital edits being done to his performances.
"Yeah, digitally. I don’t mind if someone takes a blink out during an edit. But early on, in the early 2000s, or it might have been the ’90s, I had a performance changed. [He won’t say which.] They added a tear to my face, and I was just like, “Huh?!” It was like, I don’t even have to be here," the actor said.
This, honestly, makes a ton of sense for the actor. Not only do edits take away from the actual performance that he gave in the project, but they can be used to make loads of shifts without the actor's consent.
Keanu's answer led to him being asked about Bruce Willis being deepfaked, and Keanu's answer was on point.
"What’s frustrating about that is you lose your agency. When you give a performance in a film, you know you’re going to be edited, but you’re participating in that. If you go into deepfake land, it has none of your points of view. That’s scary. It’s going to be interesting to see how humans deal with these technologies. They’re having such cultural, sociological impacts, and the species is being studied. There’s so much “data” on behaviors now," the actor said.
Again, this makes sense, even at just the film level. Advanced tech could take away from an actor's performance, making everything feel less organic, and more sterile, without the actor even knowing it was happening.
As tech continues to grow and expand, it will be curious to see what changes come to filmmaking. Clearly, Keanu is ahead of many with his refusal of digital edits, and others could jump on board.