Broadway stalwart Jonathan Groff has recalled Keanu Reeves’ “priceless” reaction to being straddled at the 2025 Tony Awards.
The 40-year-old Tony winner was performing a number from his newest musical, Just In Time, at the June ceremony, when he walked up to Reeves, 60, sitting in the front row, and stood on both arms of his chair. While standing above his The Matrix Resurrections co-star, Groff cheekily ran his hand along the side of the Hollywood actor’s face and onto his chest before hopping down.
Reeves, who this September makes his Broadway debut in a production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, initially appeared caught off guard by Groff, before embracing the bit.
Reflecting on the iconic moment in a new interview with GQ, Groff remembered that Reeves had the “best reaction ever.”
“His reaction was so priceless,” the Hamilton star recalled, adding that Reeves later gave him a hug backstage.
“An hour later, I was getting ready for the Hamilton performance backstage, and the stage manager was like, ‘Is Jonathan Groff in here? Keanu Reeves is looking for Jonathan Groff.’ He came backstage to give me a hug and say, ‘Thank you for doing that,’ and how much fun it was to be a part of the number,” Groff said. “We had such a great moment after!”
At this year’s Tony Awards, Groff was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical but ultimately lost to his Glee co-star Darren Criss, who won for his performance in the Best Musical winner Maybe Happy Ending.
Also at the ceremony, Groff and his fellow originating Hamilton castmates reunited for a special performance, celebrating the hit musical’s tenth anniversary on Broadway. Groff starred as King George III in the 2015 production and landed a Tony nomination for his performance.
Groff has earned a total of five Tony nominations over the years, winning his first last year for his lead role in the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along.
Meanwhile, Reeves will star in his first Broadway production next month, alongside his longtime collaborator Alex Winter. The forthcoming revival of Samuel Beckett’s 1956 Waiting for Godot will see the action legend portray Estragon opposite Winter as Vladimir. Considered a tragicomedy, the play follows the conversations of two friends, Estragon and Vladimir, as they wait for the arrival of the mysterious Godot.
Waiting for Godot will begin previews September 13 at the Hudson Theater with the official opening night set for September 28. The limited engagement will run through January 4, 2026.
