In a twist that sounds more like a comedic mishap than a scene from one of his action-packed blockbusters, Keanu Reeves, the beloved star of The Matrix and John Wick, fractured his kneecap after tripping on a rug in his trailer on the set of the upcoming comedy Good Fortune. The incident, which occurred in January 2025, was revealed by Aziz Ansari, the film’s writer, director, and co-star, during a presentation at CinemaCon 2024 in Las Vegas. Despite the injury, Reeves’ resilience shone through, as he continued filming most of his scenes, earning praise as a “trooper” from Ansari. This surprising story, blending irony and admiration, has captivated fans, highlighting Reeves’ professionalism and the unpredictable nature of filmmaking, even in a lighthearted comedy.

A Freak Accident on a Comedy Set

Good Fortune, an R-rated comedy directed by Aziz Ansari in his feature film debut, stars Reeves as Gabriel, an angel who attempts to teach a struggling gig worker, Arj (Ansari), that money can’t buy happiness by swapping his life with that of his wealthy employer, Jeff (Seth Rogen). The film, also featuring Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh, promises a mix of humor and heart, drawing comparisons to classic life-swapping comedies like Trading Places (1983). Filming began in January 2025 in Los Angeles, but just 15 days into production, an unexpected accident put Reeves on crutches.

Ansari shared the story at CinemaCon on April 10, 2024, recounting how the injury occurred. “About, I don’t know, 15 days into shooting with me, I was like, ‘Hey, just go chill in your dressing room for 15 minutes.’ And he tripped on a rug. He’s like, ‘Aah, my knee,’” Ansari said, according to People. The simplicity of the accident—a stumble over a rug in his trailer—stands in stark contrast to Reeves’ history of performing high-octane stunts in films like Speed (1994), where he attempted to jump from a car to a moving bus, and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), which featured brutal fight sequences. “He’s done those Wick movies, all the Matrix stuff, and never had to go to the hospital,” Ansari noted, highlighting the irony that a comedy set proved more hazardous than an action blockbuster.

Reeves later provided more details on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on July 23, 2024, explaining that the injury happened after filming a scene involving a cold plunge with Ansari and Rogen. “I was loving it, standing there, and we finish the scene, and you know when you’re cold and you’re shuffling? I had a bathing suit and a towel, and you put it over your head and do the cold shuffle?” he recounted. “I’m doing the cold shuffle in this room that had protective carpets down, and then, just here, there was like a little pocket, and my foot got caught in the pocket in the shuffle, and then I went [down], but [my knee] didn’t follow.” He described the moment his patella “cracked like a potato chip,” adding with a wry smile, “Comedy’s hard, man.”

A Trooper Through the Pain

Despite the severity of the injury—a fractured kneecap, which often requires weeks of recovery—Reeves displayed remarkable dedication. Ansari praised his co-star’s tenacity, noting that he filmed nearly all his scenes, except for a salsa dancing sequence that was postponed until his knee healed. “He was like, ‘I’ll do it!’ We’re like, ‘Keanu, calm down. We’ll do the salsa dancing once your knee’s healed,’” Ansari recalled, earning laughs from the CinemaCon audience. Reeves’ determination not to let the injury halt production underscores his professionalism, a trait that has endeared him to colleagues and fans alike.

Photos from the Good Fortune set in January 2025, showing Reeves with crutches, bandages, and an ice pack on his left knee, sparked concern among fans, leading to the hashtag #GetWellSoonKeanu trending on social media. Ansari acknowledged the outpouring of support at CinemaCon, joking, “He actually is an angel. He’s been pretending to be human for all these other roles.” The images, reported by The Hollywood Reporter and Fox News, contrasted with Reeves’ typically invincible on-screen persona, making his resilience all the more inspiring.

Reeves’ ability to push through was particularly striking given his history of avoiding major injuries in action films. Ansari pointed out that Reeves’ stunt work in The Matrix trilogy and John Wick series, including complex choreography and high-risk sequences, never sidelined him. “In Speed, he actually did attempt to do the jump from the car to the bus. It wasn’t the take they used, but he did do it,” Ansari said, marveling at how a rug proved to be Reeves’ “formidable new foe.” This irony wasn’t lost on fans, with one X user posting, “Keanu survives John Wick but gets taken out by a rug? Comedy really IS hard! 😅 #GetWellSoonKeanu.”

The Making of Good Fortune

Good Fortune represents a departure for Reeves, who has leaned heavily into action roles in recent years. The comedy, co-written by Ansari and Reeves, explores the gig economy in Los Angeles, with Ansari’s character, Arj, navigating financial struggles until Gabriel intervenes with a life-swapping scheme. The cast, including Rogen, Palmer, and Oh, brings a mix of comedic and dramatic talent, while Ansari’s directorial debut has generated buzz for its fresh take on classic comedy tropes. Lionsgate, the studio behind the film, announced the project in April 2023, with Motion Picture Group Chair Joe Drake praising Ansari’s script and the “world-class talents” of Reeves and Rogen. “We have indeed found good fortune with this film,” Drake told Deadline.

Filming was delayed from May 2023 due to the Writers Guild of America strike, but production resumed in January 2025. At CinemaCon, Ansari debuted footage showing Arj’s struggles and Gabriel’s angelic intervention, including a humorous montage of the life swap with Rogen’s character. The Hollywood Reporter described the film as a “unique” comedy with echoes of Trading Places, blending high-concept humor with relatable themes about wealth and happiness. Ansari’s research into the gig economy, including interviews with gig workers, informed the script, aiming to capture “things everyone is dealing with that no one is talking about,” he told Entertainment Weekly.

Reeves’ role as Gabriel, described as a “valley angel” who saves people from mundane dangers like choking or texting while driving, adds a whimsical touch to his repertoire. His commitment to the project, despite the injury, impressed Ansari, who told Entertainment Weekly in May 2025, “He could have been like, ‘I’m out, man. I have a pretty serious knee injury.’ But he never complained.” Reeves, in an email to EW, praised Ansari as a “great writer, director, actor,” adding, “I had such a fantastic experience working with him.”

A Testament to Reeves’ Resilience

The kneecap injury, while painful, didn’t derail Good Fortune’s production, which wrapped before Reeves began filming Outcome, a Jonah Hill-directed project, in March 2025. The salsa dancing scenes were scheduled for later, ensuring Reeves could recover fully. His ability to continue filming, as reported by Variety and ScreenRant, highlights his status as a Hollywood icon who prioritizes the craft over personal setbacks. “He really steals the movie,” Ansari said, crediting Reeves’ performance for elevating the comedy.

The incident also added to Reeves’ lore as a beloved figure. Known for his kindness—gifting Rolex watches to John Wick 4 stunt performers and personalized T-shirts with their “death counts”—Reeves’ professionalism on Good Fortune further endeared him to fans. Pinkvilla noted the irony that “one of the worst injuries of his career” occurred on a comedy, not an action film, while HuffPost called him a “trooper” for gutting out the pain. The story resonated widely, with X posts like, “Keanu Reeves cracking his kneecap on a rug but still filming? That’s why he’s a legend! 🦸‍♂️” reflecting the public’s admiration.

Looking Ahead

Good Fortune has no official release date as of June 2025, but its CinemaCon reception suggests a promising addition to Reeves’ diverse filmography, which includes Ballerina (a John Wick spinoff set for summer 2025) and Constantine 2. The injury, while a setback, has become a humorous footnote in Reeves’ career, showcasing his ability to find humor in adversity. “My knee was blowing up,” he told Colbert, quipping that he initially thought he was fine before realizing the damage. His lighthearted recounting, paired with Ansari’s anecdotes, has turned the rug incident into a viral tale of resilience and irony.

As fans await Good Fortune, the story of Reeves’ fractured kneecap serves as a reminder of the unpredictable challenges of filmmaking. For an actor who’s dodged bullets as Neo and fought assassins as John Wick, a rug may have been an unlikely adversary, but it couldn’t keep him down. In true Keanu fashion, he rose above the pain, proving that whether in action or comedy, his dedication—and his heart—remains unbreakable.