Keanu Reeves’ Partner Alexandra Grant Stands Behind Decision To Not Dye Her Hair

Apr 21, 2023

Actor Keanu Reeves, 59, is known to be one of Hollywood's nicest guys. On top of being a movie star, in recent years, he's also developed a reputation as "the internet's boyfriend" due to how much netizens love him. There are many reasons that fans love Reeves — from the fact that he's a bonafide action star whose filmography includes "The Matrix" and "John Wick" franchises, among other notable movies, to becoming the star of many popular memes. Reeves is simply one of Hollywood's most beloved actors and an icon of the internet.

There are plenty of other examples out there that show just why Reeves is considered such a stand-up guy, such as giving up his seat on the subway for a stranger or touching moments he’s shared with homeless people, listening to their stories.

But while Reeves is known for being one of Hollywood’s most beloved, friendly, and down-to-earth actors, he also has a dark past that is full of heartbreak. This included the loss of a daughter, who was stillborn, with his then-girlfriend Jennifer Syme before she passed away unexpectedly during a car accident, all within the space of about two years.

After he took time for himself, it appeared the actor was single and open to love. Then, finally, in November 2019, he went public with his relationship with American visual artist Alexandra Grant. Overnight, the world became interested in the woman who stole Reeves' heart. But alongside joy for the couple, the artist has been dealt an unfair amount of criticism too.

Since then, Grant, 50, has opened up about why she let her hair go naturally gray and refuses to dye it. She talked about her past with hair dyes and how she finally stopped using them altogether. 

Alexandra Grant came into the spotlight when she stepped out on the red carpet with Keanu Reeves at the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles. According to The New York Times, Grant is an LA-based artist who creates text-based artworks. She and Reeves met at a dinner party in 2009. They became business partners and friends before becoming romantic partners. 

Since then, they collaborated on a 2011 book, “Ode to Happiness.” They later collaborated on an intimate book of poetry called "Shadows" in 2016, featuring photos of Keanu's silhouette. They also built a publishing house together, X Artists’ Books, that is described on their website as “a small publisher of thoughtful, high-quality, artist-centered books that fit within and between genres.”

Ever since Reeves and Grant went public with their relationship, much has been written about how happy the actor is in their relationship. As one anonymous source told Life & Style:

“(Reeves) was in such a dark place for so long, but Alexandra’s positive outlook and support have played a huge part in helping him turn his life around. Some say she’s not only stolen his heart but she’s also saved him.”

But while interest in Grant, who is an artist and philanthropist based in Los Angeles, grew quickly, there were also some less than positive things said about her too. An unfair criticism directed toward the couple came in the form of a backhanded compliment that Reeves was dating someone age-appropriate. Although she's nearly 10 years younger than the movie star, it opened up the discussion about how common it is for men in Hollywood to date much younger women. 

While society deems older men who date younger women socially acceptable, it's unfortunately not the case the other way around. This highlights the sexism that is prevalent in society today. Comedian Whitney Cummings commented on the unfair bias toward Grant when she wrote:

"In hollywood, if you’re not 24, you might as well be 70."

Grant's relationship with Reeves has brought up a lot of the unfair bias toward women in the public eye, and despite being subjected to unwarranted criticism, she's taking it in her stride and even using her platform to help shift outdated ideas. When asked how she defined beauty, Grant said:

"I was thinking about this idea of, ‘What is beauty to me?' ... Ultimately, I think it’s love. And it’s truly loving yourself. It’s loving the people in your community. And it’s learning how to love people who are truly different than who you are."

As per the publication Stylist, people online began to target Grant with vile comments about her gray hair and age. A comment directed at her was regarding her age and whether she'd still be able to have children. Someone wrote:

“I hope he finds someone younger so he can have children.”

People compared Grant to Reeves' mother, who also has white hair. Since it's not common for women in the public eye to sport their natural gray hair, Grant's bold decision to do so meant that she's been subjected to all kinds of ageist comments. However, she's not bothered by it. She told Vogue:

"I’m a 6ft 1in woman with white hair ... You know, the idea of fitting in... If I wanted to look like Kim Kardashian, I would have to have surgery removing about a foot off my legs."

Despite being criticized for embracing her natural hair color, the artist has shared her thoughts on staying true to herself and her reasons for ditching the hair dye.

Grant shared a photo on Instagram from a news headline that read: “Breast Cancer Linked to Permanent Hair Dye and Chemical Hair Straighteners in Study of Almost 50,000 Women.” Grant wrote next to the photo, "Wow. Today's news... The numbers are staggering, especially for womxn of color." 

According to a study from researchers in the International Journal of Cancer, women who regularly use permanent hair dye could be increasing their risk of breast cancer by up to 60%. The study looked at more than 45,000 women and found a link between permanent hair dye and breast cancer. Predominantly Black women were the most affected in the study, as per Newsweek.

Grant continued discussing how her hair actually turned gray when she was very young. "I went gray prematurely in my early 20's... and dyed my hair every color along the way until I couldn't tolerate the toxicity of the dyes any more. In my 30's I let my hair turn 'blonde,'" she said. 

Grant finished off her post on hair dye, as she said: "I love and support that every womxn can choose how she wants to look at every age. But/and, if womxn are perishing from beauty standards... then let's talk about those beauty standards. Love to all womxn!”

While people can make their own choices to look how they want, it’s inspiring to see Grant make such a strong and important stance.

What do you think of Keanu Reeves' girlfriend, Alexandra Grant's stance on hair dye? Do you agree? Let us know, and pass this article along to your family and friends.

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