Keanu Reeves revealed his intense desire to collaborate with Al Pacino, leading to a pay cut for their 1997 film, The Devil’s Advocate.

Keanu Reeves Was Extremely Nervous While Working With One Actor in Charlize Theron Starrer That Made Him Take a Pay Cut

Keanu Reeves found his career breakthrough when he portrayed the role of Neo in the 1999 movie The Matrix. With many more roles to his name, Reeves has worked with the likes of Francis Ford Coppola for various movies but the one he revered the most is Al Pacino.

Starring together in the 1997 film titled The Devil’s Advocate, Keanu Reeves, alongside Charlize Theron faced off against Al Pacino’s John Milton in the film. According to Reeves, that was the first time he ever felt in the presence of a master!

Keanu Reeves

When Keanu Reeves Met Al Pacino

Being attached to the role, Keanu Reeves was more excited to work with Al Pacino rather than his paycheck for the film. As per the reports, the John Wick star took a pay cut so that the studio could afford Al Pacino and after a lot of convincing, Pacino was attached to the project.

Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron in The Devil's Advocate (1997)

As soon as The Godfather actor joined the film, Keanu Reeves was nervous. Talking about the experience in an interview with Playboy (via Far Out Magazine), the actor revealed that the rehearsal in the studio loft in Manhattan with Al Pacino was one of the most nerve-wracking things he had to do in his career.

“I was probably most nervous at a rehearsal of The Devil’s Advocate with Al Pacino. It was in a studio loft in Manhattan, where we sat on a couple of chairs that were substituting for a subway bench. It was the first time I got to roll up my sleeves with a master.”

Reeves further continued,

“Yeah, I was nervous. But Pacino is a very generous actor, a lovely man. That got me past it. This was my opportunity, as Laurence Fishburne always says, to swing.” 

To appear alongside Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves ruined his relationship with 20th Century Fox studio by refusing to star in Speed 2: Cruise Control.

Keanu Reeves Was Prepared To Give Anything For Al Pacino

Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino in The Devil's Advocate (1997)Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino in The Devil’s Advocate (1997)


Before his 1999 fame, Reeves starred alongside Sandra Bullock in the 1994 film Speed. Wanting Reeves for the sequel, the production for Speed 2: Cruise Control began to take place but Reeves decided not to return since he was busy shooting The Devil’s Advocate with Al Pacino!

“It was a tough decision, I really had an amazing time filming and making Speed. It did pretty well so there was a ‘Let’s do it again’. So they showed me the script and I just didn’t see it. I didn’t get it. So I couldn’t do it. I didn’t work at Fox for 15 years after that, I believe so, but I don’t know. It’s only a theory. I ended up working there again but it took 15 years.”

It was indeed worth it for the actor since The Devil’s Advocate received a rating of 7.5/10 on IMDB and 63% on Rotten Tomatoes. The 1997 film is available to rent on Apple TV+ in the U.S.