There’s something unique
about Keanu Reeves’ fame—
he’s known for his kindness and he’s known for his kindness and
generosity, despite his celebrity. generosity, despite his celebrity.
In this often unkind and shallow In this often unkind and shallow
world, my friend Keanu gives world, my friend Keanu gives
others hope. The actions of others hope. The actions of
this handsome, talented, suc-this handsome, talented, suc-
cessful, and fiercely committed cessful, and fiercely committed
actor have become a reprieve actor have become a reprieve
from the constant disappoint-from the constant disappoint-
ment we have for those who get ment we have for those who get
put on a pedestal.put on a pedestal.
I remember the ease I felt I remember the ease I felt
the first time I met him. It could the first time I met him. It could
have been a stressful first have been a stressful first
meeting—a screen test, all eyes meeting—a screen test, all eyes
on us, Neo and Trinity together on us, Neo and Trinity together
for the first time. But Keanu was for the first time. But Keanu was
just as he always is: kind, gener-just as he always is: kind, gener-
ous, and thoughtful. We’ve ous, and thoughtful. We’ve
played those characters for played those characters for
more than 20 years, including more than 20 years, includingin last year’s in last year’s The Matrix: Resur-The Matrix: Resur-
rections,rections, and he’s still the man and he’s still the man
who checks in on me during who checks in on me during
an intense training day just as an intense training day just as
he did then. He supported me he did then. He supported me
all those years ago and still all those years ago and still
does now, by the way he listens does now, by the way he listens
and the way he shows up as a and the way he shows up as a
friend. I’m fiercely protective friend. I’m fiercely protective
of our friendship, I know I can of our friendship, I know I can
count on Keanu and he on me.count on Keanu and he on me.
His essence and humanity His essence and humanity
come through every character come through every character
he plays, as well as in the every-he plays, as well as in the every-
day interactions that the world day interactions that the world
catches glimpses of. We don’t catches glimpses of. We don’t
need to be inspired by some-need to be inspired by some-
thing bigger than us, but rather thing bigger than us, but rather
by what already lives inside of by what already lives inside of
us. Keanu so kindly illuminates us. Keanu so kindly illuminates
this for us all.this for us all.Moss is an actorMoss is an actorMaya Lin
Revealing the invisible
BY CELESTE NG
Keanu
RReeveseeves
Generous soulGenerous soul
B Y C A R R I E - A N N E M O S SB Y C A R R I E - A N N E M O S S
What I love about Maya Lin’s
work is that it layers what’s
right in front of us with
what might be forgotten or
overlooked. Think of how the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
superimposes the reflection
of your face with the names of
the fallen: a reminder that the
living and the dead, the past
and the present, can never
truly be disentangled.
Sometimes her work
reveals the literally hidden,
like underground rivers or
the dramatic contours of San
Francisco Bay. But it also
reveals inconvenient truths
long ignored: the costs of envi-
ronmental degradation, the
ravages of extinction, our long
national history of exclusion in
civil rights and gender equality.Ghost Forest (2021) did
both at once, puncturing
Madison Square Park with
an eerie glimpse into the
future: the slow decimation
of forests that’s already
occurring around the globe.
Lin has an uncanny power
to make the invisible visible,
shaking us out of compla-
cency into a new state of
awareness.Ng is a novelist, most recently
of Little Fires EverywhereLIN: MENGWEN CAO; REEVES: DAVE J HOGAN—GETTY IMAGES FOR LIONSGATE; RAE: AUGUST98 Time June 6/June 13, 2022