Keanu Reeves, widely known for his roles in action films, recently shared the story behind his unexpected knee injury that occurred while filming a comedy. The actor described how this incident happened during a shoot at a residence, explaining the circumstances around his Keanu Reeves knee injury in detail during a podcast interview.
How the Knee Injury Occurred During Filming
<pWhile working on the comedy Good Fortune, Reeves sustained a serious knee injury in an unusual way. He recounted the moment during a conversation on Jason and Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast, revealing that the injury took place while he was walking back to the dressing room at a residence. To protect the owner’s carpet, there was a protective carpet laid over the floor; however, a small raised section caught his foot. As he tripped and fell, he landed on his left knee forcefully, causing a vertical fracture in his kneecap. Reeves described this by demonstrating how his kneecap split vertically, clarifying that the break did not extend to the top or bottom of the patella.
Reactions to the Unusual Type of Knee Fracture
Both Travis and Jason Kelce admitted during the podcast that they had never heard of this kind of injury before. Travis expressed,
“A vertical break? I’ve never heard of this,”
while Jason added his agreement. Reeves explained that although the vertical break is rarer, it is a better outcome than a horizontal break. Jason acknowledged this but remarked that it still sounded painful, stating,

“Well, that’s good. At least it’s better than a horizontal, but that still sounds pretty messed up.”
Keanu further updated listeners on his recovery, mentioning that he avoided surgery by wearing a brace during filming and other work commitments. He revealed how painful the injury was before medical professionals drained the blood from the capsule, saying,
“Until they pulled the blood out of the capsule, the pain was banana cakes.”
Detailed Account of the Injury from Keanu
In a previous interview on The Late Show, Keanu provided more details about the injury’s cause. While filming a scene involving Aziz Ansari and Seth Rogen, he was in a cold plunge scene and embraced the experience. After finishing, he was performing a “cold shuffle,” a small shuffle step made when cold, while wearing a bathing suit and towel over his head. The room had protective carpet, but a small pocket in the carpet caught his foot, causing him to fall.
Reeves described the fall as slow motion; although he tried to break his fall with his arms, his knee failed and hit the floor hard, causing his kneecap to crack like “a potato chip.” Initially, he thought the injury was minor, but soon his knee began swelling rapidly. Despite his extensive action movie career that involved physical stunts, Keanu noted, “Comedy’s hard, man,” reflecting on how this incident happened during lighter, less expected circumstances.
Implications and Recovery Outlook
This injury highlights the unpredictable risks actors face, even outside their usual stunt-heavy scenes. Reeves’ experience with a vertical patella fracture, an uncommon injury, underscores the physical challenges on any film set. His ability to continue working while wearing a brace and without surgery demonstrates his resilience and commitment.
Moving forward, the actor’s revelations may increase awareness about safety precautions during filming, especially in non-action settings. As Reeves recovers, fans and colleagues can appreciate the seriousness of his injury and the physical toll that even comedic roles can take.
