Inside Keanu Reeves and Jim Carrey’s Bromance: How They Built a ‘Real Friendship’ in Hollywood

Keanu Reeves gained the utmost respect for Jim Carrey while costarring in Sonic The Hedgehog 3, and insiders are surprised a close bond didn’t develop between them sooner.

“It’s a little insane that it took 30 years for these two icons to find each other, work together and build a real friendship, but better late than never,” a source exclusively tells Globe.

The source points out that Reeves, 60, and Carrey, 63, similarly got their start in Hollywood “when they were basically kids, found mega success and made tens of millions of dollars in the ’90s.”

Since then, the John Wick star and Truman Show actor have not only proven to be box office sensations but they both weathered “all kinds of ups and downs to stay on top of the business into their 60s.”

As expected, fans were overjoyed when the two joined forces. Reeves voices the character Shadow the Hedgehog alongside Carrey, who portrays mad scientist Dr. Robotnik in Sonic The Hedgehog 3.

“There’s something really special about the concentration and the way that you have to articulate the voice and express,” Reeves said about the role on CBS Mornings in December 2024. “I find it really exhilarating.”

“I went searching and looking… trying to find my inner Shadow and bring it out to the fore,” he added of his role as Sonic the Hedgehog’s dark antihero counterpart.

According to the insider, one of the many things Carrey admires about his costar is witnessing firsthand the deep bond that Reeves shares with longtime partner Alexandra Grant.

The Matrix Resurrections star and visual artist, 52, went public with their relationship in 2019. However, they started out as friends after they were introduced to one another at a dinner party in 2009.

Plus, both stars can’t help but notice the striking parallels in their career journeys amid their latest success — Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is already in the works with an anticipated 2027 release date, Variety reports.

“They both made a ton of money and had a ball filming the last one, but what’s more important to Jim and Keanu is that the friendship continues away from the cameras, and the good times come with it,” says the source.

“They’re rooting for each other, talking all the time and comparing notes on their amazing parallel lives,” adds the source. “The only sad part of this story is that they never had the chance to connect 30 years ago when they both got world-famous right around the same moment.”

“Right now they’re just making up for all that lost time!” quips the source.