Joined: 07 Feb 2007 {Posts: 1829 } Location: Lookin DC Metro, Feelin Geneva
Posted: Tue 22 Sep 2009 14:56 Post subject:
femmedecouleur wrote:
I was under the impression that many people knew/ know about his hapa heritage. The name 'Keanu' is a dead giveaway....
I don't think so. The average American probably thinks his parents were some type of hippies or those elites who name their kids odd names like Suri. You think the average Joe Six Pack knows a Hawaiian name? Really?
Joined: 03 Jun 2005 {Posts: 274 } Location: California
Posted: Wed 30 Sep 2009 00:43 Post subject:
Dragon Horse wrote:
femmedecouleur wrote:
I was under the impression that many people knew/ know about his hapa heritage. The name 'Keanu' is a dead giveaway....
I don't think so. The average American probably thinks his parents were some type of hippies or those elites who name their kids odd names like Suri. You think the average Joe Six Pack knows a Hawaiian name? Really?
Well, I've seen his name/ heritage written about all over the place for years, and I am not a fan nor do I read entertainment rags (or watch TV). But I suppose ''Joe' don't read'.
OTOH, I think 'average Joe Six Pack ' might notice even more that Reeves looks 'different' while chewing his tobacco. Or not!
I was under the impression that many people knew/ know about his hapa heritage. The name 'Keanu' is a dead giveaway....
I don't think so. The average American probably thinks his parents were some type of hippies or those elites who name their kids odd names like Suri. You think the average Joe Six Pack knows a Hawaiian name? Really?
Yeah from my understanding it's common knowledge that he is 1/2 Hawaiian. It's been talked about in interviews:print and live
I've always know, and it was very popular information when Keanu was starting out and then pretty big as an actor
Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon, the son of Patricia Bond (née Taylor), a costume designer/performer, and Samuel Nowlin Reeves, Jr., a geologist.[2] Reeves's mother is English, and his father is an American of Hawaiian and Chinese descent. Reeves's mother was working in Beirut when she met his father. Reeves' father worked as an unskilled laborer and earned his GED while imprisoned in Hawaii for selling heroin at Hilo International Airport.[3] He abandoned his wife and family when Reeves was three years old, and Reeves does not currently have any relationship with him.[3] Reeves is named after his uncle, Henry Keanu Reeves. Keanu is a Hawaiian word which means cool breeze over the mountains. When Reeves first arrived in Hollywood, his agent thought his first name was too exotic, so during the early days of his film career he was sometimes credited as K.C. Reeves. Reeves has one biological sister named Kim (born 1966 in Australia) who was diagnosed with leukemia in the early 1990s. Additionally, through his mother he has a half-sister named Karina Miller (born 1976 in Toronto) and through his father another half-sister named Emma Rose Reeves (born 1980 in Hawaiʻi).
Keanu with sister Kim
Last edited by gemini072 on Wed 30 Sep 2009 13:15; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 07 Feb 2007 {Posts: 1829 } Location: Lookin DC Metro, Feelin Geneva
Posted: Wed 30 Sep 2009 13:23 Post subject:
gemini072 wrote:
Dragon Horse wrote:
femmedecouleur wrote:
I was under the impression that many people knew/ know about his hapa heritage. The name 'Keanu' is a dead giveaway....
I don't think so. The average American probably thinks his parents were some type of hippies or those elites who name their kids odd names like Suri. You think the average Joe Six Pack knows a Hawaiian name? Really?
Yeah from my understanding it's common knowledge that he is 1/2 Hawaiian. It's been talked about in interviews:print and live
I've always know, and it was very popular information when Keanu was starting out and then pretty big as an actor
Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon, the son of Patricia Bond (née Taylor), a costume designer/performer, and Samuel Nowlin Reeves, Jr., a geologist.[2] Reeves's mother is English, and his father is an American of Hawaiian and Chinese descent. Reeves's mother was working in Beirut when she met his father. Reeves' father worked as an unskilled laborer and earned his GED while imprisoned in Hawaii for selling heroin at Hilo International Airport.[3] He abandoned his wife and family when Reeves was three years old, and Reeves does not currently have any relationship with him.[3] Reeves is named after his uncle, Henry Keanu Reeves. Keanu is a Hawaiian word which means cool breeze over the mountains. When Reeves first arrived in Hollywood, his agent thought his first name was too exotic, so during the early days of his film career he was sometimes credited as K.C. Reeves. Reeves has one biological sister named Kim (born 1966 in Australia) who was diagnosed with leukemia in the early 1990s. Additionally, through his mother he has a half-sister named Karina Miller (born 1976 in Toronto) and through his father another half-sister named Emma Rose Reeves (born 1980 in Hawaiʻi).
Keanu with sister Kim
I've known he was half Hawaiin for at least 5 or 6 years...as well.
Lets put this another way.
If I go survey random people on the street, lets say under age 50, I'm pretty sure most people will know the Matrix and most people (meaning over 50%) will know Reeves.
Do you think that many would know he is half Hawaiian? Honestly? I think it is common knowledge to you because you are so interested in race and ancestry of people. I honestly don't believe most people pay attention or even research stuff like that, but either people very interested in race or people who are really big fans of his, so big they will look up his family. HIs father's name is not obviously Hawaiian, and he does not obviously look "Asian" (not to me and I've seen a lot of Asian people). So I'm not sure what would lead the average person to question his race to look it up. Which leads me to believe the average person would find out about it by chance (reading or seeing it on tv, etc).
Joined: 07 Feb 2007 {Posts: 1829 } Location: Lookin DC Metro, Feelin Geneva
Posted: Wed 30 Sep 2009 13:48 Post subject:
I should clarify something I said, when I said you were more "interested in race" what I meant specifically was that you are likely more sensative to people's appearance than the average American, which will lead you to question and look at these things.
I will use an example of something. Millions of people around the world have listened to or listen to Prince. As we discussed in a thread on him, he identifies (or did) as black and both of his parents do too. However, most people I have spoke to about his family believe his mother is a white woman. Why? Because they saw Purple Rain. All of these people know who Prince is and have listened to his music. the average person is just not that knowledgeable, and in my opinion, does not care to be about things that do not directly affect them.
I was under the impression that many people knew/ know about his hapa heritage. The name 'Keanu' is a dead giveaway....
I don't think so. The average American probably thinks his parents were some type of hippies or those elites who name their kids odd names like Suri. You think the average Joe Six Pack knows a Hawaiian name? Really?
Yeah from my understanding it's common knowledge that he is 1/2 Hawaiian. It's been talked about in interviews:print and live
I've always know, and it was very popular information when Keanu was starting out and then pretty big as an actor
Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon, the son of Patricia Bond (née Taylor), a costume designer/performer, and Samuel Nowlin Reeves, Jr., a geologist.[2] Reeves's mother is English, and his father is an American of Hawaiian and Chinese descent. Reeves's mother was working in Beirut when she met his father. Reeves' father worked as an unskilled laborer and earned his GED while imprisoned in Hawaii for selling heroin at Hilo International Airport.[3] He abandoned his wife and family when Reeves was three years old, and Reeves does not currently have any relationship with him.[3] Reeves is named after his uncle, Henry Keanu Reeves. Keanu is a Hawaiian word which means cool breeze over the mountains. When Reeves first arrived in Hollywood, his agent thought his first name was too exotic, so during the early days of his film career he was sometimes credited as K.C. Reeves. Reeves has one biological sister named Kim (born 1966 in Australia) who was diagnosed with leukemia in the early 1990s. Additionally, through his mother he has a half-sister named Karina Miller (born 1976 in Toronto) and through his father another half-sister named Emma Rose Reeves (born 1980 in Hawaiʻi).
Keanu with sister Kim
I've known he was half Hawaiin for at least 5 or 6 years...as well.
Lets put this another way.
If I go survey random people on the street, lets say under age 50, I'm pretty sure most people will know the Matrix and most people (meaning over 50%) will know Reeves.
Do you think that many would know he is half Hawaiian? Honestly? I think it is common knowledge to you because you are so interested in race and ancestry of people. I honestly don't believe most people pay attention or even research stuff like that, but either people very interested in race or people who are really big fans of his, so big they will look up his family. HIs father's name is not obviously Hawaiian, and he does not obviously look "Asian" (not to me and I've seen a lot of Asian people). So I'm not sure what would lead the average person to question his race to look it up. Which leads me to believe the average person would find out about it by chance (reading or seeing it on tv, etc).
Actually I didn't know that about him because I'm interested in ethnicity, I found out like I said early just watching or reading an interview.
Keanu has been around acting since the early 90's so I knew about it way back then, he was pretty popular as an up coming actor and there was a lot of interviews with him. So just peoples interests in him it all came thru.
I wasn't looking for it. After the Matrix Keanu dropped off the scene, tried/trying a band etc etc, I don't know how many people who didn't know him (pre) Matrix know much about him. But the name still makes people question. I did. It was just 2nd nature equate the name with possible Hawaiian ancestry.
The first time I saw Keanu Reeves was Bill & Ted's, which sort of shaped my basic opinion of his acting ability so I had no interest in seeing any of his interviews even after Matix. I grew up in the south so I assumed he had some Native American ancestry based on his look (like Megan Fox), but he never stood out in my head as having strong Asian heritage. It wasn't until I ran accross one of the Asian biracial websites while looking for someone else did I come accross him. So if I am a example of most people in the U.S. (which I may or may not be) than many may not assume he has strong Asian heritage.
And as far as names go, my given name is an uncommon European one, which can be traced back to Scotland or some other European country, my sisters is Native American but no one thinks anything other than African when they see us. So I don't think first names mean a great deal in the U.S. where cool baby names are what parents use.
The first time I saw Keanu Reeves was Bill & Ted's, which sort of shaped my basic opinion of his acting ability so I had no interest in seeing any of his interviews even after Matix. I grew up in the south so I assumed he had some Native American ancestry based on his look (like Megan Fox), but he never stood out in my head as having strong Asian heritage. It wasn't until I ran accross one of the Asian biracial websites while looking for someone else did I come accross him. So if I am a example of most people in the U.S. (which I may or may not be) than many may not assume he has strong Asian heritage.
And as far as names go, my given name is an uncommon European one, which can be traced back to Scotland or some other European country, my sisters is Native American but no one thinks anything other than African when they see us. So I don't think first names mean a great deal in the U.S. where cool baby names are what parents use.
Just because someone may look at a person and 'one drop' doesn't mean they didn't consider possible 'other' ancestry. I think even in America people (either in their minds or out loud) question people ancestry by 1st or last names.
The first time I saw Keanu Reeves was Bill & Ted's, which sort of shaped my basic opinion of his acting ability so I had no interest in seeing any of his interviews even after Matix. I grew up in the south so I assumed he had some Native American ancestry based on his look (like Megan Fox), but he never stood out in my head as having strong Asian heritage. It wasn't until I ran accross one of the Asian biracial websites while looking for someone else did I come accross him. So if I am a example of most people in the U.S. (which I may or may not be) than many may not assume he has strong Asian heritage.
And as far as names go, my given name is an uncommon European one, which can be traced back to Scotland or some other European country, my sisters is Native American but no one thinks anything other than African when they see us. So I don't think first names mean a great deal in the U.S. where cool baby names are what parents use.
Just because someone may look at a person and 'one drop' doesn't mean they didn't consider possible 'other' ancestry. I think even in America people (either in their minds or out loud) question people ancestry by 1st or last names.
Being a member of the Odd First Name Club lol, having no visible European ancestry but having a very European first (and last) name, it makes little difference to me what someones first or last name is if their look does not support it and to me Mr Reeves look does not.
We have two differing perspectives. In my hometown if I saw a Caucasian that might look like he had a little "Other" in their culture like Mr. Keanu Reeves, Tatum Channing, Adrian Pasdar or Dominic Purcell (who stands out more to me than Wentworth Miller), it would not be substantial enough "Other" ancestry, in my opinion, for me to google them or something.
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You think the average Joe Six Pack knows a Hawaiian name? Really?