(TibetanReview.net, Mar25’22) – Under apparent order from the country’s censors, Chinese companies have removed from their streaming platforms films starring Keanu Reeves after the Hollywood star appeared in an online concert on Mar 3 for the benefit of a Tibetan culture centre in New York City.
On Mar 14, the actor’s films were removed from major platforms, including Tencent Video, Youku, and iQiyi, reported the latimes.com Mar 25.
The report said the affected films included some of Reeves’ biggest hits like “Speed,” “The Matrix” trilogy, and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”
The development emerged just after his latest film “The Matrix: Resurrections” became the first blockbuster to hit Chinese theaters in over two months, ending an unusually prolonged drought of censorship approvals on US titles in a year of rising geopolitical tensions and a further cooling of relations with Hollywood, the report noted.
Insider.com said Mar 25 it searched the actor’s name in Chinese on iQiyi, Tencent Video, and Youku, but no results were returned.
In his appearance in the 35th Annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert, held at Carnegie Hall, New York City, Keanu Reeves recited the Alan Ginsberg poem “Pull My Daisy.”
The event highlighted the themes of Tibet and peace. The annual concert is held to benefit Tibet House US, a New York-based non-profit organization founded in 1987 to help preserve Tibetan culture.
The actor is only the latest foreign celebrity to earn China’s wrath for showing support for Tibet or its culture.
The list of those sanctioned before him include Richard Gere for his friendship with the Dalai Lama and Lady Gaga after she met with the exile Tibetan spiritual leader in 2016.