Christopher Reeve’s son, Matthew Reeve, shared that despite being raised by a celebrity dad, nothing was special about his childhood. In Matthew’s recently released documentary, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, he opened up about his challenges growing up.
The late star, who had a passion for acting at a young age, pursued his dreams until he landed the role of Clark Kent in Superman in the late ’70s. Although Reeve died at a young age, his fans will always remember him for his brilliant performance in the Superman franchise. However, Matthew’s story of his father is quite different, as he saw him for who he was rather than a celebrity.
Christopher Reeve’s son shares his experience growing up with his famous father
Matthew shared that his father was absent during his childhood, and was not a superhero as portrayed in the movies. His childhood had no reflection of Reeve being a great dad and husband to his mother, Gae Exton. On the day Matthew was born, Reeve “flew to his friends and went skiing,” Matthew shared, emphasizing his absence when her mother needed him most.
Reeve and Gae also had a daughter, Alexandra, before the couple separated in 1987 because he was not committed to the marriage. Alexandra also shared that their father was hard on them growing up. He was demanding and treated them like adults, even in sports.
Christopher Reeve’s accident
After the production of Superman and its sequels, Reeve appeared in other movies, and a week after Above Suspicion premiered, he had a fatal accident where he sustained a terrible injury to his head and spinal cord. It was so bad that doctors doubted if he would survive the surgery. He had little hope of recovery, but his wife, Dana, provided all the support he needed.
Fortunately, Reeve survived and was placed in a wheelchair while Dana became his primary caregiver. Reeve’s father, Franklin, reconciled with his son, while Matthew and Alexandra moved to live with him and his new family – Dana and Will. The children revealed that their father’s perspective on life changed after his recovery, and they all spent quality time together before he passed in 2004.