Lionsgate
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John Wick, both the movie and the character himself, are undoubtedly the iconic entry into the history of action movie cinema over the last or so, therefore making it one of the most important action film franchises of all time. Now imagine being the one to fill those shoes — no pressure, right?
With the release of Ballerina, Academy Award-nominated actress Ana de Armas is not only attempting to fill the black dress shoes of the Baba Yaga, but she’s the first person to try it, as Keanu Reeves has been the star of every John Wick film up until now.
Luckily for de Armas, and therefore John Wick and movie fans around the world, there is perhaps no better guy in Hollywood than Keanu Reeves, which was once again proven with the way he took de Armas under his wing.
Speaking to BroBible’s Post Credit Podcast ahead of the release of Ballerina on June 6, de Armas recalled her first day training with Keanu and what makes him such an unrivaled pleasure to work with.
“Training with Keanu, the first day we got on the mat and started rehearsing the choreography, I was just looking at him, and I was like, ‘I hope I can just do it as best as I can — maybe as good as he does it.’ He’s just someone I enjoy so much being around, whether on set or not,” de Armas told BroBible.
“He’s such a wonderful person. He never imposes anything or himself. He really is someone so generous on set. He’s there for you. He’s really servicing his colleagues. He gives you time to find what you need to find and to try things, and then when you’re ready, he steps in. It’s just so easy. You just feel good. It’s wonderful,” she continued.
“I will never forget the moment he walked on set wearing the John Wick suit again for the first time. It’s just a black suit, but it’s like, ‘Oh my God.’ I know. It was breathtaking. It was iconic. And he’s just so — I mean, this is what Keanu loves the most. He’s like a fish in the water. Just give him action and guns, and he’s so comfortable in this world. He loves it. He enjoys everything. It felt playful. I was having a blast.”
Alongside Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves — who previously worked together on the 2015 Eli Rota-directed film Knock Knock — Ballerina also stars Anjelica Huston, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina will be released in movie theaters in the United States on Friday, June 6. You can check out the official trailer for the film below.