Much Ado About Keanu Reeves: The Drama of Ageing in Online Fandom 1 DRAFT – WORK IN PROGRESS FORTHCOMING IN ASHGATE RESEARCH COMPANION TO FAN CULTURES Shenja van der Graaf Abstract This chapter will give particular attention to the intersection of the notions of drama and ageing in the context of online fandom by examining networked fan practices that center on the actor Keanu Reeves. The results of documented interpersonal exchanges that could be retrieved on (archived) forums and mailing lists, and so forth are used as evidence. The findings yield insight into how drama and the work it does in adult lives is age-related, and a mechanism to maneuver one’s own life course and the role of fandom in it. It demonstrates that notions of ageing in these ‘drama’ instances seem to defend one’s position in the community hierarchy rather than being used for self-reflection in one’s fandom over time. Keywords fandom; celebrity; networked fan sites; drama; ageing; life course; interpersonal exchange; performative orientation