He has not had a serious girlfriend in decades it seems, and has never been affectionate with a woman while on the red carpet during his 35 year career.

But that changed this weekend when Keanu Reeves held hands with business collaborator Alexandra Grant at the LACMA Art + Film Gala Presented By Gucci in Los Angeles.

The actor, 55, and the artist, 46, never let go of each other as they exchanged loving glances while posing for dozens of photos in front of the international press, proving they had nothing to hide.

My girl! Keanu Reeves held hands with and shot loving looks to his business collaborator Alexandra Grant when at the LACMA Art + Film Gala Presented By Gucci in Los Angeles on Saturday

Public and proud: In fact, the 55-year-old Matrix actor and the 46-year-old artist never let go of each other as they posed for dozens of photos in front of international press

Keanu looked proud to be with the woman who has captured his heart as he hit the event on Saturday.

The star beamed at her and held her hand as he walked past photographers and the press while heading into the museum.

The Speed actor had on a black suit, black shirt and black tie with workman boots and lots of facial hair.

His new lady love was elegant in a navy blue sleeveless dress with heels and bangle bracelets.

Happy at last: Keanu looked proud to be with the woman who has captured his heart. The star beamed at her and held her hand as he walked past photographers and the press

Inside the event, the rumoured new couple had fun catching up with pals, with an insider telling ET: 'During the cocktail hour, Keanu was spotted with Alexandra and another female friend catching up and chatting.

'At one point, Alexandra handed a phone to the female friend and asked her to take a photo of the couple.'

'They were smiling and having a good time, and immediately after taking the photo, Will Ferrell spotted Keanu and rushed over to say hello, bringing with him a small group that included his wife, Viveca Paulin-Ferrell,' the witness adds.

Keanu collaborated with Alexandra on the books Ode To Happiness and Shadows.

While Alexandra provided visual art for the volumes - the first released in 2011 and the next five years later - Keanu wrote poetry.

The business partners also have publishing house X Artists' Books.

Swarthmore College graduate Grant is a Los Angeles-based artist, who uses language and exchanges with writers as a source for imagery in sculpture, painting, drawing, and video.

Two good! The Speed star had on a black suit with workman boots and lots of facial hair. His new lady love was elegant in a navy blue sleeveless dress with heels and bangle bracelets

She is an artist: Keanu collaborated with Alexandra on the books Ode To Happiness and Shadows. While Alexandra provided visual art for the volumes - the first released in 2011 and the next five years later - Keanu wrote poetry

Her work is in public collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) where the couple were spotted on Saturday.

For weeks there have been rumours Keanu has gotten serious with the artist.

The two looked very happy in mid October when they were arm in arm as they left a sushi bar on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Alexandra was also seen resting her head on Keanu's shoulder as they strolled.

Who is Keanu's new girlfriend Alexandra Grant? Based in Los Angeles, Alexandra Grant is an artist and philanthropist. Born in Ohio, Alexandra has been working in the arts since graduating from Swarthmore College in 1994 with a BA in history and studio art. The artist, 45, is known for her use of language and exchanges with writers as a source for imagery in her sculpture, painting, drawing, and video works. The talented artist fostered her love for the spoken word as a child, after growing up around the world, living in Mexico, Spain and France. She has exhibited at prestigious spaces around the world including Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Galerie Gradiva in Paris and The Harris Lieberman Gallery in New York. In 2008 Alexandra founded the philanthropic grantLOVE project which produces and sells original artworks and editions to benefit artist projects and arts non-profits. Alexandra and Keanu have a history that goes back years, first collaborating together on a grown-up's picture book, Ode to Happiness, in 2011. The book was a success, sparking the poet-artist duo to create their second book together, Shadows, in 2016, with Grant photographing Reeves while he was filming John Wick. Since then, the two have been spotted together at art galleries, book signings, posed for Vogue Spain and even traveled to Germany to work together. Speaking of working together on their second book, Grant told W Magazine: 'We can spend a lot of time debating. Like, 'A raspberry hue? And should it be darker?' We can get obsessive.' Shadows is compiled of dark silhouette images of Reeves taken by Grant and poetry written by the Matrix actor. Grant told the LA Times of her collaborator: 'No one can move the way he can. He's a really extreme performer. 'That's a huge piece of why those images are so interesting. I knew that if I moved the camera as we danced together, as photographer and subject, we could create these wonderful optical illusions.' The two founded publishing company X Artists' Books in 2017, with a focus on 'unusual collaborations' and books that 'don't really have a place because they're between genres'. Advertisement

Lean on me: The two looked very happy in mid October when they were arm in arm as they left a sushi bar on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles

Long term: Alexandra and Keanu have a history that goes back years, first collaborating together on a grown-up's picture book, Ode to Happiness, in 2011 before a second book, Shadows in 2016 - pictured at the exhibition opening for the book on Grant's Instagram

Keanu's A-list exes and secret heartbreak

Keanu has always keep his personal life very private but that hasn't stopped the rumour mill from churning with links to A-list actresses.

The movie star has had previous dalliances with Amanda De Cadenet and Claire Forlani but it's not known how serious he was with them.

There's also been the long-standing rumour that he secretly dated his Speed co-star Sandra Bullock in the nineties after their sizzling onscreen chemistry scored a box office hit.

Just friends: The movie icon has been linked for years to Sandra Bullock, whom he has said he used to have a crush on. Left in 1994 and right in 2006

Linked: Keanu was also spotted out and about with director Sofia Coppola in the early nineties, after they fell for each other on the set of Bram Stoker's Dracula

Just friends! Reeves and Amanda De Cadenet during the Hardball in LA in 2001. She has said for years that they are only pals

The actors have both admitted they had a crush on one another during filming for the 1994 movie, but have insisted they have never dated.

In the 80s Keanu dated Jill Schoelen for three years after meeting on the set of the 1986 film Babes in Toyland,

Keanu was also spotted out and about with director Sofia Coppola in the early nineties, after they fell for each other on the set of Bram Stoker's Dracula which Sofia's father Francis Ford Coppola directed.

Reeves's most significant relationship was with actress Jennifer Syme. They began dating in 1998 and, in 1999, Syme became pregnant with their daughter, Ava.

Ava was tragically stillborn at eight months. In 2001, Syme drove her 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee into a row of parked cars in Los Angeles; she died instantly. She was only 28-years-old at the time.

Keanu has his plate full with projects, including the wildly anticipated fourth Matrix film, which will see him return to the role of Neo.

Keanu told ET he had already read the script. 'It's very ambitious,' he said. 'As it should be!'

Lana Wachowski will write and direct the movie, and production is set to begin in early 2020.

Lana told Variety: 'Many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now. I'm very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends'

Family first: Reeves, mother Patricia Taylor and sister Karina Miller in 2005 at the Constantine premiere