Keanu Reeves is a 57-year-old Canadian actor. He is known for his roles in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (and its sequels), The Matrix series, and the John Wick series among others. In 1992, he starred in Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula with actress Winona Ryder.
Winona Ryder (born Winona Laura Horowitz) is a 50-year-old American actress. She has two Oscar nominations and two Screen Actors Guild nominations. In 1992, she starred in Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula with Keanu Reeves. In one scene filmed in Slovakia, Reeves’s character and Ryder’s character are pronounced husband and wife in a wedding scene with a real priest officiating the “ceremony.”
In a video posted on November 22, 2021 by Esquire, Reeves was asked to clarify his marital status regarding Winona Ryder. His response, "We did a whole take of a marriage ceremony with real priests," he quipped. "Winona says we are. [Francis Ford] Coppola says we are. So[,] I guess we're married under the eyes of God."
But are they really married?
Under California Family Code Section 300 (a) “Marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between two persons, to which the consent of the parties capable of making that contract is necessary. Consent alone does not constitute marriage. Consent must be followed by the issuance of a license and solemnization as authorized by this division, except as provided by Section 425…”
California recognizes marriages from other states as well as other countries. However, no matter where couples marry, they each must consent to doing so. They must also have the proper license and solemnization ceremony for the marriage to be recognized as valid.
There is no indication that either Ryder or Reeves consented to be married. They were acting and their characters were filmed getting married. Further, there is no indication that a license was issued, even though the scene was a wedding (solemnization) ceremony.
It should be noted that the entertainment media have never published Reeves and Ryder in a romantic relationship, even though the two have made numerous films together since Dracula, and continue to maintain a platonic friendship.