Keanu Reeves surprised a couple by showing up at their wedding: 'It was just out of this world'

Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 29, 2022. It has since been updated.

Keanu Reeves unexpectedly showed up at a wedding reception, giving the bride and groom the surprise of their lives. James and Nikki Roadnight got married in August 2022, in Northamptonshire, England, and made memories for a lifetime. “He was very friendly and said he would [come] later on,” Nikki told Newsweek. “We didn’t know if he would or not but it was cool that my husband had spoken to him!”

The "Matrix" actor, 57, was hanging out in the Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa's bar when the groom noticed him and extended an invitation to the celebration. A staff member at the hotel approached the bride an hour later to let her know a "very special guest" was waiting outside and wanted to speak with her. "It was all very exciting," the bride exclaimed, "I went to say hi and introduce myself, and I offered him a drink but he declined that and said he'd just had a long flight so wouldn't stay long but he was so kind and friendly and congratulated us on our wedding."

The U.K.-based couple has been together for two years, and their wedding was held in front of their friends, family and Nikki's 5-year-old daughter. The encounter with Reeves, Nikki claimed, left her and her husband as well as her guests "a bit starstruck," but it was certainly a buzz phrase on her special day.

She mentioned how Reeves was so kind as to take photos of not only the happy couple but also all of their guests. "He was kind enough to do some pictures and our wedding photographer was able to capture some too! Then he took the time to speak to some of our guests and have more photos done!" As a joke, the couple substituted Reeves' well-known film "Speed" for "Cheese" when posing for the camera!

Nikki said: "My mum, Jo, took photos and shouted for everyone to yell 'Speed' as she took the photo. We laughed about that as it's one of his older films! We are big fans. I absolutely loved The Matrix movies and really big fans of the John Wick films too! It was so cool!" Reeves, she continued, made the wedding "out of this world" by offering them "something to remember [at] the start of many more adventures," even though the wedding was already "perfect" and "magical."

The meeting and Reeves' personable manner were the cherries on top of James and Nikki's wedding cake. "The wedding was absolutely perfect anyway and we had the most magical day," the bride said. "Keanu Reeves dropping by to say hello was just out of this world."

The "John Wick" actor, who is dating the artist Alexandra Grant, has earned the tag of "Hollywood's nicest man" for the way he treats his fans and colleagues. For instance, Reeves garnered media attention in July 2019 for getting out of his car and writing a message on a supporter's yard sign.

Prior to Time magazine naming him Person of the Year, a Change.org petition was started and received close to 200,000 signatures. "Make Keanu the Person of the Year; he is the most moral being alive," wrote Jackson Beem, the creator of the July 2019 petition. “Keanu has secretly donated millions of his earnings to children’s hospitals and other charities, and has done amazing things for people in public while asking for nothing in return.”

The actor was hailed as "an angel" by signers, who also gushed that he "deserve[d]" the publication's honor, which ultimately went to the young environmentalist Greta Thunberg.