“It’s changed so many other peoples’ lives in really positive and great ways.”

All Keanu Reeves is offering is the truth when it comes to his feelings of love and gratitude for The Matrix.

While visiting The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Monday, the actor became choked up as he reflected on the sci-fi epic’s 25th anniversary this year.

“The Matrix changed my life,” Reeves said after a long pause. “And then, over these years, it’s changed so many other peoples’ lives in really positive and great ways.”

Split photo of Keanu Reeves on The Late show and in The Matrix

Keanu Reeves on ‘The Late Show’ and in ‘The Matrix’.

CBS; EVERETT

He continued, “As an artist, you hope for that when you get to do a film or tell a story. And so when you say these years and the amount of people I’ve met who have said to me and been touched by The Matrix in such a positive way… it’s the best.”

Reeves starred as Neo in all four Matrix installments, most recently returning to play the chosen one in 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections. Warner Bros. announced earlier this year that a fifth film in the saga is currently in development, but won’t be directed by either Lana or Lily Wachowski.

The Matrix is one of several of Reeves’ films that is celebrating a major anniversary this year. When asked to share his favorite memory from the set of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, which turned 35 this year, Reeves said that it was all about “friendship” and acting alongside the Bill to his Ted, Alex Winter.

As for Point Break? Well, Reeves only had high praise for “the genius of Kathryn Bigelow and the beauty and professional awesome, Patrick Swayze.”

And when it came to his non-stop thrill ride Speed, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last month, the first thing on Reeves’ mind was “Sandra Bullock and Jan de Bont, the director, saying ‘Give me the f—ing camera!’”

Watch Keanu look back at some of his films in the clip above.