
Keanu Reeves knows his way around a martial arts mat, what with his extensive training for The Matrix and John Wick franchises, and now he’s about to pay tribute to a groundbreaker within the combat sports.
Deadline reports Reeves and Oscar-winning director Fisher Stevens will co-produce a documentary on Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, who is credited with introducing mixed martial arts to the world.Â
Now 71, Urquidez was a world champion karate and kickboxing legend who transitioned to training actors and coordinating fight scenes for movies.Â
Incidentally, John Cusack was one of his students, and Urquidez takes him on in a famous scene in the actor’s 1997’s hit Grosse Pointe Blank. But Urquidez’s client list reads like a Hollywood’s who’s who: Everyone from Jackie Chan to the late Patrick Swayze to Michelle Pfeiffer trained with him over his long career.Â
Emmy-nominated sports documentary editor and filmmaker Jennifer Tiexiera is directing the documentary. She tells the trade, “Benny’s fighting career was born out of his struggles with identity, poverty, and race, but he didn’t let those things define him. The result is a story about how struggle and sacrifice evolved into one about love, spirituality and deeper meaning.”
Keanu recently appeared in and produced another documentary, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, which is streaming on Hulu.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Related Posts
Weekend Watchlist: What’s new on streaming
February 7, 2025
Ready, set, binge! Here's a look at some of the new movies and TV shows streaming this…
Ahead of Super Bowl, Travis Kelce says he could ‘take notes’ from Taylor Swift’s work ethic
February 7, 2025
Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesGetting to the Super Bowl, and then preparing for it, takes a lot of work,…
In brief: Daniel Radcliffe, Lucas Hedges to star in thriller ‘Trust the Man’ and more
February 7, 2025
Daniel Radcliffe and Lucas Hedges are set to star in a Vietnam War thriller film called Trust the…
‘Puppy Bowl’ referee Dan Schachner is ready for another big game
February 7, 2025
Credit: Animal Planet / Warner Bros. DiscoveryWhile a lot of people will be tuned into the Super…
Halsey posts furious response to column suggesting Chappell Roan’s Grammy speech was “uninformed”
February 7, 2025
Francis Specker/CBS Chappell Roan made headlines at the Grammys by calling for record labels to…
Lineup announced for ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’
February 6, 2025
NBCUniversalf you've lost track of specials celebrating the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night…
Music notes: Ariana Grande, G-Eazy and more
February 6, 2025
Ariana Grande appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday night and took part in one of the show's…
Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Charli XCX, Post Malone have Record Store Day releases for you
February 6, 2025
RepublicPost Malone is this year's Record Store Day ambassador, so it's no surprise that he's…