5 Things We Know About Keanu Reeves's "Age-Appropriate" Girlfriend
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When it comes to celebrity couples and their age differences, we try not to judge a book by its cover. But a surprise appearance this weekend had everyone asking: Who is Keanu Reeves’s new girlfriend? And when did it become so shocking for an actor to date a woman in her 40s?
Okay, maybe everyone wasn’t asking that second question — but we were, and so was a fair amount of Twitter. When Reeves made his debut with new girlfriend Alexandra Grant on Saturday night, there was (at first) an intense outpouring of praise and support for his “age-appropriate” choice. But the fixation on Grant’s age soon went sour.
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Here’s the thing: Reeves is 55, and Grant is 46 — still almost a decade younger than the Matrix star — it’s a little troubling that Grant is considered such a radical choice, just because she’s not 20 years his junior.
Our annoyance at the public’s reaction aside, we’re genuinely thrilled for this couple. Reeves hasn’t gone public with a girlfriend since his last serious relationship with Jennifer Syme, who died in a car accident in 2001. We’re sure Reeves didn’t take this choice lightly — and from what we’ve learned about Grant so far, she seems like a pretty incredible woman.
Here are 5 things you should know about Alexandra Grant.
She’s An Artist
That’s right! Reeves’s supercool new girlfriend is an artist, described on her website like this: “Alexandra Grant is a Los Angeles-based artist who through an exploration of the use of text and language in various media—painting, drawing, sculpture, film, and photography—probes ideas of translation, identity, dis/location, and social responsibility.”
Her art has been exhibited all over the world, including shows in New York, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Paris.
…And a Philanthropist
In 2008, Grant founded grantLOVE, a project that sells original artwork and uses the money to support artist projects and arts non-profits. So far, they’ve raised funds for the following organizations: Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), Project Angel Food, Art of Elysium, 18th Street Arts Center, and LAXART.
She Grew Up All Over the World
Growing up, Grant spent time in Mexico, France, Spain, and various U.S. cities. Speaking to LA Weekly in May, Grant said this of her decision to settle in Los Angeles:
I grew up in part in Mexico City, Washington, DC, and Paris, moving between languages and cultures. Los Angeles felt like home from the moment I first arrived in 1995, especially the diversity of people, idioms, foods, and plants (like jacaranda and bougainvillea). There’s an incredible work ethic here – many people are creative and entrepreneurial. Having friends who are working hard practicing their crafts – whether it’s set design, publishing, or acting — is very inspiring.
She & Keanu Have Worked Together For Years
While Grant and Reeves are longtime friends, their first known collaboration is on Reeves’s 2011 book Ode to Happiness, for which Grant provided the illustrations. In 2016, she illustrated his book Shadows as well.
In 2016, the duo co-founded publishing house X Artists’ Books, described on their website like this: “XAB is a small publisher of thoughtful, high-quality, artist-centered books that fit within and between genres. Our books are works of art; portals to imagined worlds; treasured companions; the fabric of a community. We love the same things about our books as we do about our friends: generosity, open-heartedness, intelligence, mystery, style. They bring sustenance and shift realities. They may occasionally break your heart.”
In early 2018, Reeves and Grant gave an interview about XAB to Los Angeles Magazine. Even then, the interviewer noted an “easy rapport,” commenting on how they spoke to each other “in a comfortable shorthand fueled by inside jokes and knowing smiles.” Cute!
They’ve Been a Rumored Item Since May
While Saturday, Nov. 2, is their official couple debut, Reeves and Grant also appeared at the MOCA benefit in May together, and then a Saint Laurent fashion show in Malibu this June — and reportedly held hands on that occasion too. Prior to even that, the couple attended UNAIDS Galaat Design Miami/Basel in Switzerland in 2016.
All this is to say: We have no idea how long they’ve actually been dating, given the fact that they were friends before and Reeves is so notoriously private about his romantic life. But as of this fall, their romance seems to have taken off, with the couple spotted at a romantic three-hour dinner date at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica this October.
So, do you approve of Reeves’s pick? We think she’s the perfect match in every way. Congrats to the new couple!
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