Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter Reunite on Broadway in Waiting for Godot

After decades of friendship, countless adventures as Bill and Ted, and careers that have taken them from cult classics to international stardom, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are stepping onto a new stage together: Broadway. This fall, the duo will star as Estragon (Reeves) and Vladimir (Winter) in Jamie Lloyd’s new production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot at the Hudson Theatre.

Reeves said their long friendship is essential to the process. “It’s fundamental, right? It’s there in every way.” Winter agreed, adding, “Friendship is fundamental to the play, so it’s helpful that we have that. Some days I’m just like, thank God Keanu’s here. The trust and history make tackling something this challenging a little simpler, because the rest is not simple at all.”

Though making his Broadway debut, Reeves has roots in theater with roles in Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. “Having theater experience gives you perspective going into rehearsal,” he said. “I just love theater, and working with Alex and Jamie has been such a joy.” Winter, who first performed on Broadway as a child in The King and I and Peter Pan, said returning now feels entirely different. “It is Beckett, it is with my friend, and it is as an adult. There is a real newness to it that I am looking forward to.”

Winter called the timing “a dream and a gift,” and praised the ensemble, including Brandon J. Dirden as Pozzo and Michael Patrick Thornton as Lucky. Reeves added that the creative energy of Broadway with this cast and director made it the right moment.

Both actors spoke about Lloyd’s grounded approach to the text. They even traveled together to the Beckett Archive in the UK, where they worked with Beckett’s biographer to better understand the world of the play. “There is a reason why the play is written the way it is,” Winter said. “Working with Jamie, we have approached it in a way that helps build real flesh and blood people in front of you.”

And what would Bill and Ted do while waiting for Godot? Winter laughed, “They would be jamming, working on a tune about waiting.” Reeves smiled in agreement.

For Reeves and Winter, this production is more than a return to theater. It is about the endurance of friendship, the thrill of risk, and the joy of live performance. Waiting for Godot begins previews September 13 and opens September 28 at the Hudson Theatre for a strictly limited run through January 4, 2026.