Getty Images | Sam Santos

Keanu Reeves Donated 70% Of His Salary From ‘The Matrix’ To Leukaemia Research

It is a well-known fact by now that Keanu Reeves is one of the kindest people in Hollywood, with stories of his kind-hearted actions over the years having warmed the hearts of many.

However, one amazing fact about the actor that most people may not know is the amazing way that he used money that he made from The Matrix.

Reeves used a large portion of his Matrix salary to help fund research into finding a cure for leukaemia.

Unsplash | Louis Reed

The Matrix star reportedly donated around 70% of the salary that he earned from the first film in the series to fund leukaemia research.

Reeves' decision to use his salary in this way was largely inspired by his sister's battle with the illness.

Getty Images | Sam Santos

Reeves' younger sister Kim was diagnosed with leukaemia, a form of blood cancer, back in 1991 with her entering remission in 2001.

In order to help his sister, Reeves put his career temporarily on hold and sold his house that he could move closer to his sister and become her carer, according to LadBible.

Often choosing to be quite secretive of his charity work, Reeves first made mention of his work with the charity back in 2009.

Unsplash | National Cancer Institute

The amount that Reeves earned upfront for The Matrix was $10 million, with him earning another $35 million after the film became a box office smash hit, the New York Post reports.

""I have a private foundation that’s been running for five or six years, and it helps aid a couple of children's hospitals and cancer research [...] I don't like to attach my name to it, I just let the foundation do what it does," Reeves was quoted as saying back in 2009 according to NYP.

This is far from the only piece of charity work that Reeves has been engaged in.

Unsplash | iyus sugiharto

Back in 2020, Reeves also auctioned off the chance for someone to have a brief 15 minute Zoom date with him, with all of the proceeds going to an Idaho summer programme which helps children suffering from cancer.

The winning bidder apparently paid $19,000 for the short-yet-sweet meeting with the star.

Reeves seems incapable of doing anything other than warming people's hearts, and that is by no means a bad thing — it is no wonder that someone paid that much for a fleeting meeting with him!

h/t: LadBible

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