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Pop Culture

Because dreams do come true, Keanu Reeves crashed a wedding and it was delightful

Best. Surprise. Ever.

keanu reeves, keanu reeves wedding
commons.wikimedia.org

Most wholesome guy in Hollywood.

Imagine: It’s your wedding day. Hopefully, one of the most magical, memorable days of your life (if you’re into that sort of thing, that is). You’re already on cloud nine after gazing into the eyes of your beloved and declaring everlasting commitment to each other. Nothing could possibly make this moment any better, right?

Wrong. Keanu Reeves could make it better. And for one lucky couple, he did make an already wonderful wedding even better … simply by showing up.

keanu reeves, john wick 5We love you, Keanu.Giphy

Bride and groom Nikki and James Roadnight had only just tied the knot and were celebrating in the bar of the Fawsley Hall Hotel in Northamptonshire, England, when they noticed John Wick himself standing nearby.

Perhaps James had already consumed enough liquid courage, because he felt confident enough to approach the movie star and invite him to the reception. As one would hope, Reeves was as pleasant and welcoming as his reputation implies.

"My husband … told him he'd just got married and invited Keanu to come over to say hello and have a drink with us if he wanted to. He was very friendly and said he would later on. We didn't know if he would or not but it was cool that my husband had spoken to him!" Nikki told Newsweek. Oh Nikki … little did you know, it was about to get so much cooler.

Only an hour later, the bride received a message from the hotel saying a “very special guest” was waiting for the couple outside.

That guest was of course the one, the only … Keanu Reeves.

Though the 57-year-old “Matrix” actor didn’t drink at the party, he generously spoke to guests and took pictures—some were even with the official wedding photographer. You know those photos are going on the couple’s fridge, for sure.

Everyone at the event was understandably “a bit starstruck.” However, it was perhaps the mother of the bride who had the biggest reaction.

"My mum, Jo, took photos and shouted for everyone to yell 'Speed' as she took the photo,” Nikki joked with Newsweek. Good choice, Jo. Though mine might have been “whoa” from “Bill and Ted.”
keanu reeves movies

They're gonna cherish this day forever

Twitter

Seeing Reeves made an already “perfect” wedding day truly “out of the world,” the bride shared, calling it “something to remember and the start of many more adventures together."

Hilariously, Nikki chose to use a photo of her and a smiling Keanu as her new profile picture, rather than James.

keanu reeves pics, keanu reeves twitter

She totally forgot she was married for a second.

Twitter

“Shouldn’t your profile pic be of you and your new husband?” someone asked.

“Mr. Roadnight won’t mind just for a few days,” Nikki responded. That’s true love right there, folks.

The name “Keanu Reeves” has become rather synonymous with kindness. From anonymous donations to taking pay cuts, to helping other creatives on his projects, to just being a general source of goodness during times of crisis … the actor formally known as “the internet’s boyfriend” is beloved by all, and for good reason.

Maybe we can’t all be so lucky as to have Reeves show up at our wedding, but we are all lucky to have him in this world.

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Wonder how volunteering can change your life? Ask a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Those who give back get so much in return.

True

Larissa Gummy was first introduced to the work of the Peace Corps in high school. All it took was seeing a few photos shared by her ninth-grade teacher, a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, to know that one day, she would follow in those footsteps.

This inspiration eventually led Larissa away from her home in Minnesota to Rwanda in East Africa, to give back to her family’s country of origin and pursue her passion for international development. Though her decision confused her parents at first, they’re now proud and excited to see what their daughter has accomplished through her volunteer work.

And just what was that work? Well, it changed from day to day, but it all had to do with health.

Mostly, Larissa worked for Rwanda’s First 1,000 Days Health project, which aims to improve the conditions that affect the mortality rate of kids within the first 1,000 days of being born (or almost three years old). These conditions include hygiene, nutrition, and prevention of childhood diseases like malaria and acute respiratory infections (ARI). Addressing malnutrition was a particular focus, as it continues to cause stunted growth in 33% of Rwandan children under the age of five.

In partnership with the local health center, Larissa helped with vaccination education, led nutrition classes, offered prenatal care to expecting mothers, and helped support health education in surrounding communities. Needless to say—she stayed busy with a variety of tasks.

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‘You’ll be caught’: 19 years ago, Conan O’Brien predicted Danny Masterson going to prison

Did Conan predict Masterson's fate?

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Conan O'Brien speaks with Danny Masterson in 2004.

Danny Masterson, best known for playing Steven Hyde on “That ‘70s Show” from 1998 to 2006, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday, September 7, for raping two women during the height of his fame. Throughout the trial, prosecutors argued that the Church of Scientology helped cover up the assaults—an allegation the organization denied.

After Masterson’s sentencing, footage of an uncomfortable 2004 exchange with former late-night host Conan O’Brien went viral on X, formerly Twitter. During the exchange, O’Brien tells Masterson that he will pay for his behavior one day.

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Legendary writer Alan Moore explains why it's important to read ‘terrible’ books not just good ones

"Terrible" books can be an inspiration.

via Gaius Cornelius/Wikimedia Commons

Writer Alan Moore speaking in London.

Alan Moore, 69, is a legendary comic book writer best known for “Watchmen,” “V for Vendetta,” “The Ballad of Halo Jones,” “Swamp Thing,” "Batman: The Killing Joke” and "From Hell."

Moore is known as one of the best comic book writers in the English language, and his advice for fellow scribes is a bit counterintuitive. He believes that it’s as important to read "terrible" books as it is classic literature.

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Dad takes 7-week paternity leave after his second child is born and is stunned by the results

"These past seven weeks really opened up my eyes on how the household has actually ran, and 110% of that is because of my wife."

@ustheremingtons/TikTok

There's a lot to be gleaned from this.

Participating in paternity leave offers fathers so much more than an opportunity to bond with their new kids. It also allows them to help around the house and take on domestic responsibilities that many new mothers have to face alone…while also tending to a newborn.

All in all, it enables couples to handle the daunting new chapter as a team, making it less stressful on both parties. Or at least equally stressful on both parties. Democracy!

TikTok creator and dad Caleb Remington, from the popular account @ustheremingtons, confesses that for baby number one, he wasn’t able to take a “single day of paternity leave.”

This time around, for baby number two, Remington had the privilege of taking seven weeks off (to be clear—his employer offered four weeks, and he used an additional three weeks of PTO).

The time off changed Remington’s entire outlook on parenting, and his insights are something all parents could probably use.

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Hank Azaria shares how he flipped 180 degrees on his voicing of Apu on 'The Simpsons'

The actor went from defending his portrayal of the Indian shopkeeper to founding an anti-bias non-profit to share why it was wrong.

The Man Enough Podcast/YouTube

Hank Azaria spoke with The Man Enough Podcast about his evolution with the character Apu.

Hank Azaria has starred in dozens of TV shows and movies, both as a full-bodied actor and as a voiceover artist. But the roles he's best known for are the multiple characters he has voiced on "The Simpsons."

One of those voices helped win Azaria multiple Emmy awards, but also landed him in hot water—his portrayal of Indian shopkeeper Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.

A documentary by Indian comedian Hari Kondabolu, "The Problem with Apu," examined the issue of Apu being a racialized stereotype, no matter how beloved the character was. Kondabolu himself started of as a fan of the character. "Apu was the only Indian we had on TV at all so I was happy for any representation as a kid," he told the BBC. But that perspective changed as he got older. "He's funny, but that doesn't mean this representation is accurate or right or righteous," he said. "It gets to the insidiousness of racism, though, because you don't even notice it when it's right in front of you."

Azaria spoke to his own obliviousness and his years-long journey from defending his portrayal of Apu to co-founding an anti-bias non-profit aimed at educating people about why such portrayals are harmful on The Man Enough podcast.

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Depression or bipolar disorder? A psychiatrist lists five signs it's likely not depression.

Bipolar disorder is more likely to present in the late teens, but signs are easy to miss.

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Psychiatrist lists 5 signs your depression is likely bipolar disorder.

It's not always easy to figure out what mental health condition you have, even after being diagnosed. Sometimes questions pop up after a diagnosis or new symptoms appear that may give you pause. One of the mental health conditions most questioned is bipolar disorder because it seems to contain a lot of symptoms that can overlap with other disorders, especially depression.

Bipolar disorder is characterized broadly by experiencing cycles of depression and mania. Depression symptoms can be so deep that it seems insurmountable and the mania symptoms can be so extreme that people impulsively take a cross-country trip without packing a thing. But since there's typically a much smaller swing between the two poles, some people may question if their depression is actually undiagnosed bipolar disorder.

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Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy

@maakenziee/TikTok, @aguyandagolden/TikTok, @dadanddolly (via Upworthy/Instagram)

Babies and doggos bringing the smiles

If any animal embodies the simple joy of our "10 things that made us smile" series, it's gotta be a Golden Retriever. This week's list includes not one but two Golden good boys being their playful, hilarious selves. We've also got a sweet floofy puppers and a story about tiny dogs that is certainly smile-worthy. (Doggos for the win!)

And babies! Gracious, do we have a couple of adorable babies this week. Wait till you see the "Oh No" dance. Serious cuteness overload.

Also, have you ever seen a duck being tossed into a kiddie pool over and over because it just can't get enough? You will, and your day will be all the better for it.

Enjoy all this and more in this week's roundup:

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