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Keanu Taylor is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Danny Walters. He was created by EastEnders writer Daran Little and introduced by executive producer Sean O'Connor in episode 5511, broadcast on 15 June 2017. The character's first departure aired in episode 6084, broadcast on 21 February 2020. Keanu made an unannounced return in episode 6607, broadcast on 13 December 2022. His second and final departure in episode 6826, broadcast on 25 December 2023, saw the character be killing off. Following his on-screen death, Walters makes five additional appearances as Keanu between episodes 6837 to 6860, 10 January to 20 February 2024, appearing as a hallucination as part of Denise Fox's (Diane Parish) psychosis storyline. Keanu's storylines in the soap primarily revolved around his affair with Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), and the resulting feuds from her husband Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), and Phil's children Ben (Harry Reid/Max Bowden) and Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper).
Upon the character's announcement, he was billed by O'Connor as being a positive, family-oriented man of morals. As his time on the serial continued, the character became more temperamental, and increasingly prone to outbursts and poor decision-making, with Walters noting that Keanu had the potential to be a dangerous person. In 2020, it was announced that Walters would make his first exit from the show to pursue other roles. In December 2022, Keanu was reintroduced by Chris Clenshaw in an unannounced return. Clenshaw said he decided to bring the character back due to Keanu having "unfinished business", and promised a matured version of the character. In February 2023, Keanu was listed one of seven potential victims for "The Six" storyline after it was revealed that a male character would die on the show's upcoming Christmas Day broadcast, eventually transpiring to be the victim, as he was stabbed to death by Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).
Across his run, the character received a mixed reception. Critics noted his initial lack of narrative relevance during his first stint, with some feeling the character had been underused. His affair with Sharon was considered controversial due to their large age gap, but several critics appreciated the drama that stemmed from it. His surprise return and eventual death scene garnered generally positive reactions. Walters won several awards and nominations for his portrayal of Keanu, including the award for the best "Newcomer" at the 23rd National Television Awards and the award for "Best Exit" award at the Radio Times Soap Awards.
A few weeks after beginning filming, Walters said he was welcomed by the cast and crew. Walters had Adam Woodyatt, who plays the long-running character Ian Beale, as a mentor on set. He commented on the "huge buzz" around the Taylor family's introduction and noted his excitement to see what was in store for the characters, promising Keanu would do everything in his power to maintain the peace in Albert Square. Walters found it easier to arrive as a part of a family unit, believing there would have been more pressure to succeed if his character had been introduced individually. The actor found himself being challenged by the fast-paced production of working on a soap opera, learning to prioritise his first take of a scene as the most important. Keanu, alongside the Taylor family, made their first appearance in episode 5511 of the soap, broadcast on 15 June 2017.
The soap's final 2019 Christmas Day broadcast, episode 6048, saw Martin Fowler (James Bye) ordered to kill Keanu, with the episode finishing with a gunshot being heard from outside an abandoned warehouse, a cliffhanger that left Keanu's fate ambiguous. The show later revealed that Martin refused to kill Keanu and helped him fake his death, with Keanu exiting by leaving Walford in early January 2020. Both Keanu's falsified murder and his airport exit were leaked by the media before airing as the actor was seen filming on-set. Two weeks after his character's on-screen exit, Walters was seen filming for the soap's 35th anniversary episode on the River Thames.
Keanu would eventually return to EastEnders ahead of the 35th anniversary specials, with the intention to both run away with Sharon and get revenge. Walters teased that Keanu would target Ben Mitchell's (Max Bowden) boyfriend, Callum Highway (Tony Clay), because of Ben's role in organising Keanu's murder, comparing their feud to a game of chess: "It's essentially like a game of chess and to get to the King, which Keanu sees Ben as, he needs to go after the most precious thing to him, and that's Callum". Keanu goes on to hold Callum hostage. It was later confirmed by the soap that, as revenge, Ben, Phil, and Keanu would engage in a final showdown during the anniversary. Keanu's eventual involvement in the death of Sharon's son Dennis Rickman Jnr (Bleu Landau) prompts her to disown him, telling him to leave Walford. Keanu complies, leaving the show in episode 6084, broadcast on 21 February 2020.
When writing the character's return, the codename 'Neo' was used to refer to Keanu by the production team and Walters to prevent his return from being leaked, a reference to Keanu Reeves' character Neo from The Matrix. Talking about how the opportunity to return presented itself, Walters said in a Radio Times interview that he had been called by Clenshaw, who shared brief insights into upcoming storylines, which enticed Walters to return. Walters voiced his excitement about the planned developments for Keanu and was grateful to return at the end of a significant episode of the serial, the funeral of Dot Cotton (June Brown). Walters detailed his struggles to keep the return news a secret from friends and family.
Keanu emerged as a prominent suspect for the identity of the dead body, as a result of his feud with Phil, his recent return, and his increasingly hostile behaviour. On 7 December 2023, he was confirmed as one of seven official suspects to be the dead body, alongside Phil, Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry), Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), and Tom "Rocky" Cotton (Brian Conley). Deemed a "late contender", he was considered one of the suspects because of his involvement in Albie's faked kidnapping, Sharon's secrets regarding Albie's paternity, and because Sharon was depicted wearing a wedding dress in the flash-forward, with later confirmation that she and Keanu would marry on Christmas Day. Keanu was briefly ruled out due to Walters being seen filming for the episode wearing a grey suit, not a black one like the body, and due to being less deserving of a brutal punishment than the other candidates. Ahead of the Christmas, Clenshaw teased to viewers: "As we head towards Christmas, it will become apparent and it will become very clear who the potential body is, not who the body actually is, but who the potential ones we're looking at are and the ones that it could be". He added: "Christmas Day in Walford is always momentous" and praised the fans' speculations.
Watched by 3.6 million people, "The Six" storyline unfolded on Christmas Day 2023, where it is revealed that while Keanu died after being stabbed by Linda Carter, he was not the body on the floor. Walters felt honoured to play the victim, and opened up about how challenging he found it to keep plot details under wraps "to have as much impact as possible". Reflecting of his time on the soap, he considered his favourite Keanu moment to be his arrival alongside the Taylor family. In a later interview, Walters detailed that when he initially returned, he had known that his character would be killed off. He noted that he struggled to keep the secret for the year, but succeeded. Discussing his character's development across his time on the serial, Walters stated: "The only thing that Keanu ever wanted was to be a dad and to have a son; as soon as that was taken away from him, his whole purpose and his character completely changed within a split second". He accredited Keanu's fear and insecurity over losing Albie as the reason for Keanu's out of character outburst. Walters was allowed to keep Keanu's work uniform as a souvenir.
Keanu's strong sentiment for his family is essential to his character. Walters said that Keanu suffered academically and wasn't intelligent, which he saw as a significant barrier to finding work. Nevertheless, in his early appearances, Keanu's primary objective was to earn money to support his financially struggling family. Walters detailed it was Keanu's "only motivation" and that it was something he often considered his character's objective while writing acting notes. The methods Keanu resorted to gain an income was noted by Digital Spy writer Claire Crick, who noted Keanu's "East End rough and ready manner". Her colleague Daniel Kilkelly wrote that Keanu was depicted as "moralistic". When asked about the soap's decision to introduce a working-class family, Walters responded that it was important to reflect society, and that it demonstrated the show's versatility. Walters noted Keanu's "protective" nature over his family, especially his mother Karen. The actor explained that "Keanu thinks a lot about what Karen says". Walters commented the family were initially disliked, but their "kind hearts" had begun to endear them to viewers. He credited a storyline showing Bernadette suffer a miscarriage as being the first instance of viewers beginning to enjoy the family due to the characters becoming more layered over the course of the story.
Despite Keanu's usually upbeat personality, the character was portrayed as having a sinister side. He has been called a "bad boy" and Walters noted Keanu could be a "dangerous man" at times. When asked about Keanu's darker characteristics, the actor explained that Keanu had an "edgy side", but it usually stemmed from his protectiveness over his family and loved ones. The show explored the character's aggressive temper throughout August 2018. He has been referred to as "troubled" and the show's "resident bad boy", but across his entire stint, Walters remained adamant that Keanu wasn't a bad person, rather a victim of his own poor decision-making and emotional responses to conflict. According to Walters, Keanu "wears his heart on his sleeve" and is "very driven" by it. Walters also found Keanu to be "very irrational" at times, failing to consider the wider scope of his actions.
Despite the large age gap between Keanu and Sharon, Walters explained that Keanu was too smitten with Sharon to care about her age or the consequences if her husband Phil, "Walford's number one hardman", were to find out. Sharon was said to be "jealous" of Keanu's flirty friendship with Hayley Slater (Katie Jarvis). In October 2018, the characters' affair was threatened to be exposed as they received sinister texts from an unknown person. Walters attributed this to the expansion of the story over time: "the complications and the repercussions are getting much bigger". Walters opined that the characters were a good match for each other, but the heightened stakes continually blocked their relationship's progression. It was confirmed that Sharon would briefly end her affair with Keanu after the pressure became too high. When asked of Keanu's reaction, Walters responded that Keanu was "confused" by the direction of the relationship as he was receiving "mixed signals" from Sharon despite being "emotionally invested" in her. Keanu was left "heartbroken" when Sharon suddenly ended the affair due to Phil's return from time abroad.
They later became "on-off lovers", with Keanu being deemed Sharon's "teenage toyboy" by Digital Spy writer Laura Morgan. After the show announced its new executive producer, Kate Oates, she teased that Keanu and Sharon's story would remain a major plot across 2019. Despite leaving Keanu, Sharon was portrayed as being jealous when he moved onto her stepdaughter Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper). Keanu later cuts ties with her. Speaking to Inside Soap, Walters commented that Keanu's feelings for Sharon had become "more complicated" since his character began dating Louise, but was adamant that Keanu still had feelings for Sharon. After Keanu and Louise broke up, his affair with Sharon resumed. Shortly after it was confirmed Keanu had impregnated Louise, Sharon also fell pregnant. It was revealed that Keanu was the father of Sharon's baby, not Phil as she had initially hoped. Walters commented that the affair had been "bubbling for a long time" when it was announced that it would be exposed during Christmas Day 2019. The actor explained that Keanu was torn between Lousie and Sharon in the run-up to the Christmas celebrations. After the affair is exposed, Dean labelled it one of Sharon's "lowest points". Keanu exits for his first time after Sharon tells him she no longer cares for him.
Following Keanu's return, Walters said the prospect of beginning a relationship with Sharon, who had since divorced Phil, was part of Keanu's decision to return, considering her to be the reason Keanu had "a good purpose and a bit of drive". He further opined that Sharon was attracted to Keanu as he appreciated her. In an interview, the actor confirmed that Keanu had returned to create a family unit with Sharon for their son Albie Watts (Arthur Gentleman). Sharon, however was more guarded and hesitant to resume the relationship, as she had been hurt before and feared being hurt again. Keanu, thus, aimed to "break down that barrier". Once it was confirmed that Keanu would propose to Sharon, only for her to initially decline, Walters explained that his character wanted to solidify their relationship through marriage, for their own interests as well as Albie's, as Keanu wanted to create a family with Sharon and Albie. In October 2023, Clenshaw opined that the couple weren't very good for each other outside of their affair, but Walters disagreed, saying there was a "deep love" between them despite their occasional disputes.
When Oates overtook executive control of the serial, she teased that the affair storyline would take prominence throughout 2019. She said that Phil would become "complacent" with his life and marriage, and satisfied with the way "things seem to be falling in to place". She added that Phil and Keanu would become close, despite their opposing personalities. Oates concluded: "So as the storyline gets more complicated and messier, I think what is interesting is realising how far Phil is building up this affection for his family and the guy who works for him. And then just realising how further he will have to fall when he finds out the truth." Keanu becomes Phil's "lackey" throughout 2019, being deemed "everything Phil idolises".
Phil was set to find out about Keanu and Sharon's affair by Christmas 2019, with Walters commenting that Keanu was in great danger as a result, with Keanu knowing "exactly what Phil is capable of". After the show's Christmas Day 2019 broadcast aired, showing Phil enlisting Martin Fowler (James Bye) to kill Keanu after learning of the affair, though he is unable to go through with it, Dean explained that, deep down, Phil was "hurt" by the affair, and "wouldn't have let him get away with it". Phil had "treated like a son" before learning of the affair.
Following Keanu's return, Justin Harp of Digital Spy called Phil and Keanu "long-time enemies". Although Keanu's return took place while Phil was away, executive producer Chris Clenshaw teased viewers to expect "fireworks" once Phil returned, especially given their rivalry would strengthen after it was revealed that Keanu had had a fling with Phil's sister Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) while away. Walters said that Keanu no longer feared Phil upon his return as he was too focused on his family, particularly Albie.
After Keanu's return aired, Keeper explained that the pregnancy was a "shock" for Louise, and teased that there would be a future "curveball" thrown at Keanu and Louise's relationship. She added that Louise would turn to Sharon for advice, unaware of Keanu's affair with her. The actress added that Louise was invested in a relationship with Keanu, despite opining that they were poorly matched. Scenes later aired of Louise telling Keanu and he is left stunned by the revelation. While they plan on raising the child together, Louise breaks up with Keanu after discovering he was paid by Phil to begin dating her, despite having since "developed genuine feelings" for her. Regardless, she eventually chooses to keep the baby, leaving Keanu to think she had an abortion. The characters' "roller coaster romance" later continued as they got back together yet again following Louise confirming she lied about aborting the baby. Louise goes on to name their child Peggy, after her late grandmother Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor). Walters considered Louise to be "perfect" for Keanu, and explained Keanu felt guilt over his affair.
When it was announced Louise would begin to grow suspicious of Keanu, Keeper reiterated that Louise was "in love" with Keanu, but was well aware that: "if you cross a Mitchell, there'll be consequences". The actress supported Louise's involvement in the attack on Keanu on Christmas Day because of his infidelity: "He'd betrayed her. She had to do something". She added that Louise would exit shortly after.
Later, Keanu is left "reeling" after learning Ben (now Max Bowden) had involvement in human trafficking, blackmailing Keanu to also become involved. It was said Keanu had been "stunned" by Ben's "mercenary streak" in comparison to their earlier interactions. Ben attempts to drive Keanu and Louise apart. Following Stacey Slater's (Lacey Turner) attack against Phil, Ben attempts to frame "arch-enemy" Keanu for the crime. Explaining why Ben framed Keanu, Bowden said that Ben was jealous of Keanu's relationship with Phil and status as the new "Mitchell son", and being an image of Phil's ideal son, so wanted him out of the picture. He explained that Ben had never had a strong relationship with Phil and felt "replaced" and "inferior", so wanted rid of Keanu. When asked if Ben felt guilt over falsely incriminating Keanu, Bowden explained that Ben believed it was better for Louise's unborn baby to have Ben as a father figure over Keanu. Keanu returned after Ben's involvement in his hit, as he was "hellbent" on revenge against him for being part of the plot.
After Keanu was "lured" into a heist by Aidan Maguire (Patrick Bergin), Walters teased that it would allow viewers to see a "different side" to Keanu. He explained that within the Taylor household, Keanu has a defined role and status. However, compared to the other men on the heist, he becomes vulnerable and shows fear towards the dangers. The actor admitted that it was a bad decision for Keanu, but that the character gets "in too deep". Despite the heist's ultimate failure, the show later announced that Keanu would be "roped back" into Aidan's antics.
Although Hayley Slater (Katie Jarvis) had been "vying for Keanu's attention" throughout August 2018, she found herself on the receiving end of Keanu's temper. After apologising, Keanu's mood was lifted by positive words from Hayley. Later in the year, Keanu almost killed a pregnant Hayley during a violent outburst where he threw a spanner in her direction. Keanu tried desperately to apologise and they made up before Hayley witnessed more violence from Keanu when he pushed Cody (Jacob Avery) into a pit, prompting Hayley to tell Keanu he had to learn to control his anger. A later scene between the pair depicted Hayley's attempts to kiss Keanu, but he turns her down, sensing her vulnerable state of mind. Hayley had "grown fond" of Keanu over their friendship.
The show announced in May 2019 that the character Lisa Fowler (Lucy Benjamin) would return to the show. As the mother of Louise, it was teased she would return following the announcement of Louise's pregnancy to "keep a close eye on her daughter". When it was confirmed that Lisa would return for a stint following her exit, she brought Peggy back to the square with her, to Keanu's delight. However, Lisa demands that Keanu support her financially in turn to spend time with Peggy. In an appearance on the ITV talk show Lorraine, Walters teased Lisa's arrival would disturb Keanu's happiness. Discussing Lisa's plans, Walters noted that she becomes "greedy" and asks for overly large sums of money from Keanu, manipulating him using his love for Peggy.
Walters said Keanu had always wanted to be a father and valued family, so prioritised his children. When Keanu returned in 2022, Walters cited a primary reason as to why being that Keanu wanted to look after Peggy and Albie Watts (Arthur Gentleman), his children. As Peggy had since departed, Walters said he wanted to create an "impression" in Albie's upbringing. Explaining, he detailed that Keanu wanted to be a decent father figure to his children as a result of his own difficult upbringing: "He's not had a father figure in his life and the way I've always played it is to be the dad that his dad wasn't". Te actor later clarified Keanu wanted to create a family unit with Sharon for Albie. Despite Peggy being separated from Keanu for her entire life, Walters said Keanu still held a deep bond with her. Walters commented that Lisa was easily able to exploit Keanu's emotions for money as he was "emotionally hooked" on Peggy. The show eventually revealed that Albie was not Keanu's son, and was biologically Phil's.
Despite being "worlds apart in terms of their age and characteristics", Keanu begins a friendship with Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) after Reiss joins business with him. Walters explained that while they wouldn't spend extended amounts of time together, Keanu slowly begins to "warm" to him. Keanu later turns to Reiss for financial help when being charged by Lisa to spend time with Peggy.
Phil eventually uncovers Sharon and Keanu's affair, leading to a Christmas Eve plot to have Keanu killed. Martin Fowler (James Bye), tasked with the job, stages a fake execution with Linda Carter's (Kellie Bright) help, allowing Keanu to escape. Keanu later returns, seeking to reunite with Sharon and leave Walford, but his plans unravel when he kidnaps Phil's son Ben Mitchell's (Max Bowden) boyfriend Callum Highway (Tony Clay) to secure ransom money for their escape. This results in a confrontation with Phil, who beats Keanu before a disastrous boat crash claims Dennis's life. Overcome with grief and blaming Keanu for her son's death, Sharon ends their relationship and demands he leave Walford for good.
When his relationship with Sharon begins to strain, and in a desperate bid to assert his parental rights, Keanu and Karen kidnap Albie and stage a ransom demand, though Albie is ultimately returned unharmed. The truth behind the abduction is uncovered, and Karen takes the blame to shield her son. However, Phil demands repayment for the ransom money, deepening Keanu's financial troubles. On Christmas Day 2023, his half sister Bernadette (Clair Norris) reveals Keanu's role in the kidnapping, disrupting his wedding to Sharon. In the ensuing confrontation, Sharon stuns everyone by revealing that Albie is actually Phil's son. Later, in The Queen Victoria, an enraged Keanu becomes violent and attempts to strangle Sharon, only to be fatally stabbed with a meat thermometer by Linda during the altercation. The women involved – Sharon, Linda, Denise Fox (Diane Parish), Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), and Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) – decide to hide Keanu's body under the floorboards of the Bridge Street Café. While her mental health declines, Denise envisions Keanu staring at her before his body is discovered four months later by Bernadette.
Stephanie Chase of Digital Spy remarked that "fans were not ready" for Keanu and Sharon's affair to begin, noting that its introduction received a mixed response from viewers. Her colleague Joe Anderton reported that scenes of the characters kissing had attracted controversy, but joked that " EastEnders has been taking a page out of the 'Adam Rickitt Book of Getting Women and The Gays to Watch Your Soap' lately with Keanu Taylor", in reference to the character's frequent shirtless scenes. The affair's impact has been noted on several occasions, as it was deemed "one of EastEnders' biggest storylines", as well as one of the show's "most mouth-watering" and "the affair to end all affairs". It was credited by Sophie Dainty of Digital Spy as one of seven reasons why the Taylor family became more popular with viewers after a mixed initial response. Grace Morris of What's on TV said that Keanu had "went down in EastEnders history" as a result of the affair. Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy was surprised about how long it took for Keanu and Sharon's affair to be exposed, calling it "one of the best kept secrets on the Square". Keanu's airport exit was named "gripping" and "emotional" by fellow Digital Spy writer Justin Harp.
Morris ( What's on TV) deemed the character's return "epic" and "highly-anticipated", considering Walters an " EastEnders favourite". Stefania Sarrubba of Radio Times agreed that she was surprised by Keanu's return, and praised his reunion with Karen and Bernadette as "touching". Keanu's return was ranked as the fifth-best storyline in a British soap opera in 2022 by Radio Times. Writer Helen Daly wrote that it succeeded due to the element of surprise, Keanu being a "beloved" character, and the storyline potential his return brought. She concluded: "the EastEnders gods delivered". What's on TV writer Rachel Lucas said that Keanu's decision to stage Albie's abduction was an act of "petty revenge". Helen Daly of Radio Times called Keanu's character "loveable". Lewis Knight of Radio Times called the character a "favourite" and following his death, called Walters's performance "natural" and wrote that Keanu "succumbs to his worst impulses and loses his life in the process. A heartbreaking but logical conclusion to a character who started as a sweet hero and ended up a desperate villain no longer worthy of Walford icon Sharon Watts". Radio Times writers Morgan Cormack and Katelyn Mensah deemed Keanu's exit "suitably dramatic". Scenes airing after Keanu's murder depicting Denise hallucinating visions of promoted "terrified" reactions from viewers on Twitter.
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