Sichuan News - Chengdu Evening News (Ch), October 2007

Interview with Keanu Reeves
(translated from Chinese)

Reporters : He Jia Hui, Liu Qing Qing

Reporter: This visit to Chengdu, how’s your impression of the city?
Keanu Reeves: Great, the people are friendly and polite, moreover, there’s no one disrupting my journey (trip), I am particularly happy about that. Despite being here for just a few days, I have fallen in love with this city, I like the people here very much. I arrived in Hailuogou today, I find the sceneries really beautiful.

Reporter: (sees that Keanu is wearing just 2 shirts and a pair of jeans, and reporter herself is shivering from cold) Can you endure the (cold) weather here?
Keanu: It’s fine, I am used to it.

Reporter: What’s the purpose that you are here today ?
Keanu: Besides vacation, this trip to Hailuogou is to scout for locations for a new movie. The title is tentatively “Tiger”, might alter it later.

Reporter: You are here in China for a while now, do you wish to fulfill any dream?
Keanu: Yes, I really want to see the pandas, they are too cute. I hope to have close encounter with them, especially if I could hug one.

Reporter: Which Chinese film director do you like best? Zhang Yi Mou, Ang Lee or John Woo ?
Keanu: (after wincing and thinking for about 10 seconds) I don’t have any particular director that I like, I am not familiar with them. I don’t know Zhang Yi Mou, but I know John Woo.

Reporter: Can you talk about your knowledge of Chinese Kung Fu?
Keanu: Chinese Kung Fu is a very good form of exercise, my Kung Fu is imparted to me by my teacher who also happens to be my good friend, Tiger Chen. My knowledge of Chinese Kung Fu comes from him, he is a great martial art director.

Reporter: When will you come to China again ?
Keanu: I don’t know, maybe one week later, one month, or maybe one year? You go make a guess (laugh).

(At this very moment, the situation takes a sharp turn, Keanu Reeves starts shooting questions at the reporter)

Keanu: How do you know I am here?
Reporter: Because our friends are holidaying here as well, we got a phone call and rushed over at once.

Keanu: How long do you take to reach here?
Reporter: About 7 hours, no break, no breakfast, we just rushed over here.

Keanu: (looks surprised) Ah? Why is that?

Reporter: It’s because of you! We want to come and see you.

Keanu: You come all the way just to see me?
Reporter: Yes, we are so happy to meet you.

Keanu: Are you preparing to go uphill or downhill later?
Reporter: (we have heard Keanu is going downhill) Down.

Keanu: And how do you go down, which bus do you take ?
Reporter: We don’t have a specific (fixed) bus, wonder if we could hitch a ride in your car ?

Keanu: NO, we are preparing to go up the mountain, haha.