Jim Carrey & Keanu Reeves

TS_customs2 16/3/07 7:41 pm Page 28

TIMESAVER CUSTOMS & LIFESTYLE IN THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD Famous names CANADA

Northern stars: Jim Carrey & Keanu Reeves Many people think of Hollywood as the home of the world's best movie talent. But Keanu Reeves and Jim Carrey are just two examples of successful Canadian stars.

1 Jim Carrey or Keanu Reeves? Work in pairs and answer the questions with the correct name.

1 Who was born in Lebanon? ...... KR

2 Who was born in Canada? ......

3 Who left high school early to get a job? ......

4 Who did not get a qualification from high school? ......

5 Whose first job was as a pasta maker? ......

6 Who made his first appearance at a Toronto comedy club when he was 15? ......

7 Who starred in The Matrix? ......

8 Who starred in The Mask? ......

9 Who has worked with Cameron Diaz? ......

10 Who has worked with Winona Ryder? ......

2 Now read the texts below and check your answers.

8 KEANU REEVES mother. He grew up in Toronto and later became a Canadian citizen. Keanu went to four high schools, and was expelled* from one for disobeying* the teachers. He never actually got his high school diploma.

His first jobs included working at a pasta shop and sharpening* skates at an ice rink. He was a brilliant ice hockey player, and was voted MVP (Most Valuable Player) on his high school hockey team.

His first movie role, in fact, was an ice hockey goalkeeper in Youngblood, which was filmed in Canada. He moved to Los Angeles and made a number of films. Most successful were the comedy, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and the horror film Bram Stoker's Dracula co-starring* Winona Ryder.

Then, in 1999, he starred in the science fiction Keanu Reeves was born on 2 September, 1964, hit, The Matrix, which made him successful again. in Lebanon. His parents met while they were in Two sequels* followed: The Matrix Reloaded, and Beirut. Keanu's full name is Keaweaheulu, which The Matrix Revolutions. Since then, Keanu has starred means 'cool breeze* over the mountains' in in several films including the super-cool animated* Hawaiian. (His grandfather was born in Hawaii.) film, A Scanner Darkly, where he worked again with Winona Ryder. Keanu's parents divorced when he was two, and he moved first to New York, then to Toronto, with his

28 TIMESAVER: Customs & Lifestyle in the English-speaking World © Scholastic Ltd. PHOTOCOPIABLE TS_customs2 16/3/07 7:41 pm Page 29

TIMESAVER CUSTOMS & LIFESTYLE IN THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD Famous names CANADA

8 JIM CARREY Jim Carrey was born on 17 January, 1962, in Jim Carrey has always kept strong links with Canada Ontario, Canada. He was the youngest of four but he also wanted to become a US citizen. ‘My children. His father was a musician and the family dreams have all come true in America,’ he said. In often had money problems. When Jim was a 2004, he became a joint citizen of the US and Canada. teenager, the Carrey family moved to Toronto and they all got jobs in a factory there. Times were hard, and Jim left high school early to work full-time.

Jim loved making people laugh and when he was 15, he started to go on stage at a comedy club in Toronto. People loved him, and he moved to Los Angeles to do more stand-up* comedy. When he was 21, he had a small part in a film Copper Mountain. The film wasn’t a hit but it gave him the chance to appear in more films and become better-known.

His big break came with the action comedy The Mask in 1994. In this film he plays a bank clerk who becomes a superhero when he wears a mask*. His co-star* was Cameron Diaz, who was completely unknown at the time. The film was very popular and made Carrey a star. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective followed, along with several movies including Batman Forever, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and more recently Lemony Snicket and The Number 23.

3 Which of the films in the text do you think these photos come from?

Personal project Are there any famous film stars from your country? Which films have they been in? Write a review of their most recent film. * What is it in your language? Find out!