Active from: 1984–today
Bio: Perhaps because of his stoner-y voice (famous for uttering “Whoa!”), Reeves has been unfairly labeled a bad actor by some, but Hollywood’s greatest filmmakers, like Francis Ford Coppola and Bernardo Bertolucci, have cast him, and his versatile filmography includes comedies (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure), romances (The Lake House), action (The Matrix and John Wick), drama (A Walk in the Clouds) and even Shakespeare (Much Ado About Nothing).
Biggest snub: 1991’s My Own Private Idaho. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the film about two street hustlers and friends in Portland, Oregon was heralded by critics as groundbreaking, and stood out at that time as a rare example of two major movie stars (Reeves and River Phoenix) playing roles with gay themes. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone magazine singled out Reeves’ performance as “magnetic,” and while the film is now considered a classic, Reeves didn’t receive the Best Supporting Actor nomination he deserved.
