Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce turned their New Heights podcast into one of the hottest sports platforms. The show pulls massive guests from beyond football. This week brought a Hollywood legend with a story that had NFL fans laughing.
Keanu Reeves Reveals Hollywood Tried Rebranding Him as Chuck Spadina
Keanu Reeves Reveals Hollywood Tried Rebranding Him as Chuck Spadina (Screenshot Via x/@Keanuital)
The Chiefs tight end and his retired brother just landed their biggest guest yet.
Keanu Reeves Reveals Hollywood Tried Rebranding Him as Chuck Spadina
Keanu Reeves sat down with the Kelce brothers and dropped a bombshell about his early career. Hollywood executiveswanted to change his name to Chuck Spadina. The Matrix star actually went along with it for six months before realizing the mistake.
Keanu Reeves’ manager told him to change his name at 20 years old. Reeves considered “Chuck Spadina” before using “KC Reeves” until he refused to keep it changed.
“At 20 years old, I drove in my car to Los Angeles. Got out of my car and my manager said, ‘We want to change your… pic.twitter.com/pLUwMB8p4g
— Variety (@Variety) October 16, 2025
“Got out of my car and my manager said, ‘We want to change your name,’” Reeves revealed.
Reeves explained the pressure young actors face in the industry. Managers and agents push for marketable names. His management team thought Keanu sounded too foreign for American audiences in the 1980s.
The name Chuck Spadina comes from Toronto’s famous Spadina Avenue. Reeves grew up in Canada before moving to Los Angeles. He introduced himself as Chuck at auditions and meetings for half a year.
But the fake identity never felt right. Reeves ditched Chuck Spadina and reclaimed his birth name. That decision changed everything.
“I was credited as KC Reeves,” he recalled. “And then I couldn’t do it. So then I would be in auditions and they would go, ‘KC Reeves.’ And I wouldn’t even answer. Six months later, I was like, ‘I’m not doing this.’”
The rest became cinema history. Reeves landed Speed, The Matrix trilogy, and John Wick under his real name. Those franchises earned billions at the box office.
Travis Kelce couldn’t believe anyone tried changing such an iconic name. The three-time Super Bowl champion knows about branding, and his relationship with Taylor Swift made him one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet.
NFL Fans Can’t Stop Laughing About Chuck Spadina
Social media exploded when clips from the podcast dropped. One fanwrote, “Imagine Keanu as Chuck Spadina — Hollywood dodged a bullet!”
A secondadded, “Had he continued with that stage name, everyone in Toronto would recognize it as a very popular downtown road.”
A thirdpointed out, “Is your manager your ex-stepfather…that’s what I would like to ask Mr Reeves.”
The Kelce brothers continue proving their podcast works beyond football talk. New Heights pulls listeners who want personality and entertainment.
Travis brings his championship pedigree and star power. Jason delivers wit and insider NFL knowledge from his Philadelphia Eagles career.
This episode shows why athletes make great interviewers. They understand pressure, rebranding, and public identity. Reeves connected with the Kelces on that level. The conversation felt natural instead of forced.
Expect more massive guests as New Heights grows its empire.