Keanu Reeves leads a rather closed lifestyle. Unlike other Hollywood stars, the actor cannot boast of dozens of high-profile novels and has never been officially married. However, there was only one woman next to him, whom everyone called the common-law wife. If the fate of Jennifer Syme had not been so tragic, it is quite possible that Keanu Reeves would now be a happy family man.
Jennifer Maria Syme was born on December 7, 1972 in Pico Rivera, a city located in the southeast of Los Angeles County, USA. Her parents were Maria St. John and Charles Syme, a retired police officer in California. A few years after Jennifer's birth, her parents divorced.
She grew up in the famous Laguna Beach area. The girl's family was wealthy, so Jennifer had the opportunity to develop a love of music and collect antiques. She was preparing for high school when she and her mother decided to move to Los Angeles as they felt they needed to change their lives after their father left.
Career in music and film
The proximity of Hollywood determined the vector of further development for the girl, so in Los Angeles, Jennifer Syme discovered a real passion for filmmaking. She was particularly interested in films and television shows produced by David Lynch. When she was 16, she walked into Lynch's office and asked him if she could get a job on his legendary Twin Peaks series.
Ironically, Lynch appreciated the daring impulse and hired the young girl as an intern at his company's production department. During her tenure with Lynch, Jennifer freely and openly shared her views on films and music. Moreover, she was able to somehow influence the eminent director. Through his passionate intern, David Lynch met several musicians whose work he incorporated into his films and TV shows. In addition, according to director Scott Coffey, who was a close friend of Jennifer's, she was a huge influence on the music for Lost Highway.
During this period, Jennifer Syme also became interested in acting. She played a drug addict in Lost Highway and collaborated with Coffey on his five independent short films, the most recent of which was Ellie Parker. This comic portrait of a young woman struggling with modern life in Los Angeles was shown at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.
However, Jennifer never aspired to make a dizzying career in cinema, because she was always more passionate about music than films. In parallel with her creative projects, she worked as a personal assistant to musician Dave Navarro from Jane's Addiction. Navarro later joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Relationship with Keanu Reeves
Jennifer Syme and Keanu Reeves met in 1998, and a romantic relationship broke out between them. Despite the fact that Reeves tried to keep his personal life a secret, the couple's relationship soon became "fodder" for the tabloids.
At the time, Reeves was at the height of his popularity. In 1999, he became one of the largest movie stars in the world after the release of The Matrix. Of course, his every step was exaggerated in the press, and journalists dreamed of eliciting the slightest details of the actor's personal life. When it became known about Jennifer's pregnancy, the paparazzi began to pursue the couple. And even at that time, Keanu was in no hurry to announce official relations. He and Jen never lived together, but upon learning of the pregnancy, Reeves bought her a house.
When it was about a week before the expected due date, Jennifer stopped feeling the baby's movements. This went on for several days. Worried, she went to the hospital, where an ultrasound scan showed that the unborn girl had died in the womb. She and Keanu named her Ava and buried her in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in January 2000.
For Syme and Reeves, the loss of Ava came as a shock. The couple broke up shortly after the tragic event. One of their mutual friends said, "Their love was not strong enough to survive the loss of a child."
Jennifer was simply shattered by this terrible event. Some time after the loss of her child, Syme began to use drugs. However, it was not all bad. Despite her colossal sadness, Jennifer still tried to get her life back on track. She began attending a film production course at UCLA.
After the death of her beloved grandfather Alfonso Diaz on March 17, 2001, she again plunged into despair. Jennifer has not been to a medical facility since the death of her child, and the hospital visit again took a toll on her mental health. According to her mother, it broke her and she became very depressed.
Tragic departure
On April 1, 2001, Syme was invited to a party at the home of musician Marilyn Manson. After the party, one of the guests drove Jennifer home. However, instead of going to bed, the girl left the house again shortly before dawn, probably to return to the party.
On a street in Los Angeles, the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee she was driving crashed into a row of parked cars. Jennifer was partially thrown out of the car and died immediately from her injuries.
An investigation into the incident showed that 28-year-old Syme was not wearing a seat belt and was in a state of severe alcoholic intoxication at the time of the accident. The police searched her car and found drugs as well as antidepressants.
Syme was buried next to her daughter in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Shortly after the funeral, Jennifer Syme's mother filed a lawsuit against Manson in April 2002, accusing the musician of supplying the girl with "various illegal substances" and "provoking (Syme) to drive in an incapacitated state." In a statement released by Manson shortly thereafter, the singer vehemently denied the accusations, calling the lawsuit completely unfounded. As a result, the trial ended in the defeat of Mary St. John's.
David Lynch dedicated his mysterious film Mulholland Drive (2001) to Jennifer Syme.
