Ana de Armas is stepping into the spotlight in the John Wick universe with the upcoming spinoff Ballerina, co-starring Keanu Reeves as the iconic assassin John Wick. However, their collaboration actually began about a decade ago when they first met on the set of the film Knock Knock.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, de Armas recalled a memorable moment when Reeves excitedly demonstrated some choreography from the original John Wick film—before it had even hit theaters. According to de Armas:
“The first time we met, we were at lunch, and he told us the story about John Wick. Like, he had just wrapped the first John Wick… He got up from the chair in the middle of the restaurant and started doing one of the choreos in front of everybody. I was like, ‘Well, he looks excited.'”
Nearly ten years later, Reeves and de Armas reunite in Ballerina, where she portrays Eve Macarro, a woman trained in assassin skills seeking vengeance for her father’s death. De Armas praised Reeves for his passion and support during filming, adding:
“These kinds of movies… this is his happy place. This is what he likes to do. He loves rehearsing, he loves martial arts… He’s generous too; when he goes to set and sees you’re figuring it out, he gives you your time, steps back, never imposing anything. Then, when you’re ready, he’s like, ‘I’m coming for you.'”
Set between the third and fourth installments of the John Wick franchise, Ballerina releases in theaters on June 6, 2025.