Aziz Ansari Made Keanu Reeves Indian Food to Break the Ice Before 'Good Fortune'

Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut in the upcoming film Good Fortune featured a few unique aspects. One of these stems from the fact that a first-time director typically isn't calling the shots for a name as big as Keanu Reeves, while also starring in the film alongside him.

However, as Ansari explained during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, it took a bit for him to not be "freaked out" around Reeves after the John Wick star agreed to join the film.

"Keanu's one of these guys who's in pretty rarefied air,” Ansari explained. “You don't see him around. He's still pretty mysterious. He's one of the few guys who still has this real movie star aura.”

First teaser for ‘GOOD FORTUNE’, starring Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, and Keke Palmer.

The film follows Keanu Reeves as an inept angel who meddles in the lives of a gig worker and a wealthy man.

In theaters on October 17.pic.twitter.com/aLJdqZYL1B

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 28, 2025

After Ansari was initially skeptical that the two would be able to mesh on-screen, he admitted that the first time they met, he immediately knew Reeves was perfect for the part. But before filming, Ansari had to find a way to get comfortable with his new Good Fortune co-star.

So, he did just that, inviting Reeves to his house to make him Indian food.

“I was like, ‘Hey man, we got to hang out a few times, so I'm not freaked out being around you. You know what I mean?’ So he was like, ‘I get what you mean.’" Ansari explained.

"So, we hung out, and he came over to my house. I made him Indian food, and we hung out for a while, and he told me all these stories. And then we went to dinner a couple of times, and I tried to really spend time with him to get to know him a little bit so I could become comfortable around him.”

As Ansari explained to Entertainment Weekly, the icebreaker worked, and the duo highly praised one another. Ansari said they "had a great time," while Reeves told EW via email he had "such a fantastic experience working with [Ansari]."

Good Fortune follows an angel named Gabriel (Reeves) who attempts to help a struggling gig worker, Arj (Ansari), by showing him that money can't buy happiness, as EW detailed. However, after Gabriel body-swaps Arj with his wealthy employer, played by Seth Rogen, Arj winds up enjoying the luxurious lifestyle much more than his own.

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