Freshly tanned and sporting a beard, Keanu Reeves recently came back from a 10-day holiday with his younger sister Kim on Italy's idyllic island of Capri -the latest celebrity getaway where you can find the likes of Mariah Carey or Elton John sunning and schmoozing.

"She's probably my greatest passion in life," he explains of Kim, who has been plagued by leukaemia for several years, and to whom Keanu has been a great support. "The bond between her and I is very strong, and, like lots of siblings, we're pretty alike in lots of ways:'

With several movies in the can, Keanu has been working non-stop, but is looking forward to filming the next two sequels to The Matrix in Australia.

"I can't wait to get back to Sydney. I had such a great time filming The Matrix down there - there's a lot of adventure going on," he smiles. "I really love the architecture and the way the city is laid out. I love the people, and I even like the winters in Sydney. The rain was great, and I really love the light It's just such a beautiful city. And, of course, I really enjoyed the wines. Australian wine is really good."

Meanwhile, in his real-life role as bass player for his band Dogstar, he has just released an album in the States. "It's our first record here, and I'm really proud of it. It's called Happy Ending," he says. Like any band, Dogstar has squabbles. "Most of the time we get along. Our expression for it is 'Keeping the dream alive', because it's hard being on the road."

On the personal front, the actor - once crowned MTV's Most Desirable Male - isn't in a rush to get hitched. 'But when I do get married, l'm going to be a very nurturing husband. There'll be good sex and lots of adventure," he laughs. "And I'll help out with the dishes, too."

- Maddy O'Donnell