The News Republic hasposted the interview that Keanu Reeves did with the news agency, DPA, at the press junket in Munich. The piece is in German and translates well with the google translator.
The entire interview here. Just the interview portion is below. It is directly from the translator and no copyright infringement is intended.
Question: Do you play in a samurai movie ” 47 Ronin ” and her directorial debut , which also comes in this year to the movies, called ” Man of Tai Chi ” . They seem to be fascinated by the Asian fighting arts.
Answer: Yes, it seems so , does not it ? I have not planned it, but ever since I was a kid, there was so much in Asian culture , which just made me attracted . I watched Kung Fu movies and samurai movies , I love the kitchen and am interested in Confucius , Zen and so on.
Question: In ” 47 Ronin ” You play the underdog Kai . Why you wanted to play the role ?
Answer: What intrigued me about Kai , are his sorrow and his love . He was abandoned by his mother , does not know his father and is then brought up by this mysterious monks , to which he does not want to belong . He flees , is captured and falls in love with the princess. He must always fight , but he is an honorable guy who respects the people, even if they look down on him. He has a lot of compassion, and that impossible love , for which he has to fight . There was much to play and think.
Question: We have not seen you for a long time in a major film . Why ?
Answer : I do not know exactly . It is probably a combination of the right material and the fact that the studio did not really have projects for me. Also, I was gone a half year to make ” Man of Tai Chi ” in China.
Question: You have worked on ” 47 Ronin ” with Japanese actors . How was it and how did you communicate ?
Answer: Translator and English – and also by the performance . Acting is such a thing as a universal language. The biggest difference was in fact the lunch. I have great understanding with my acting colleagues Hiroyuki Sanada , he has taught me a lot about Japanese culture and behavior . The constellation was also good for the role. I was accepted, but did not speak Japanese and was therefore a bit of an outsider.
Question: Will it be harder to play action scenes, when you are almost 50 years old ?
Answer: No, because what one loses in energy , one gains in crafts and effectiveness.
Update: Cino has run this same interview with a nice size photo.