Editing Jennifer Syme (section)

== Early life and career ==
Syme was born in [[Pico Rivera, California]],<ref name="rocksoff">{{Cite web |date=August 20, 2021 |title=Jennifer Syme, Keanu Reeves & Their Daughter – A Tragic Story |url=https://www.rocksoffmag.com/jennifer-syme-mother-of-keanu-reeves-daughter/ |website=Rocks Off |access-date=October 22, 2021 |archive-date=October 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022194515/https://www.rocksoffmag.com/jennifer-syme-mother-of-keanu-reeves-daughter/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and was raised in [[Laguna Beach, California|Laguna Beach]].<ref name="US Weekly">{{Cite web |last=Daly |first=Sean |date=April 23, 2001 |title=Keanu Grieves for His Soul Mate, Jennifer. |url=http://www.whoaisnotme.net/articles/2001_0423_ree.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211121230752/http://www.whoaisnotme.net/articles/2001_0423_ree.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2021-11-21 |website=US Weekly}}</ref> Her parents were Maria St. John and Charles Syme, a retired California highway patrol officer,<ref name="US Weekly"/> and they divorced some time after Syme was born.<ref name="US Weekly"/>

When Syme was about to start high school, she and her mother moved to Los Angeles, where Syme developed a passion for moviemaking and especially for [[David Lynch]]'s films.<ref name="US Weekly"/> Actor and filmmaker [[Scott Coffey]] said that Syme was 16 years old when she walked into Lynch's office. "She was a huge fan and wanted to do anything on ''[[Twin Peaks]]''", Coffey said.<ref name="US Weekly"/> Syme landed a job at Lynch's company, Asymmetrical Productions, where she started as an intern and ended up working for five years.<ref name="US Weekly"/><ref name="papermag">{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Trey |date=September 20, 2018 |title=Hollyweird: The Strange, Tragic Death of Jennifer Syme |url=https://www.papermag.com/jennifer-syme-keanu-reeves-2606619318.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1 |website=Paper |access-date=October 22, 2021 |archive-date=October 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022190209/https://www.papermag.com/jennifer-syme-keanu-reeves-2606619318.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1 |url-status=live }}</ref> She introduced Lynch to many of the musicians he used in his projects, and according to Coffey, she had a huge influence on the music in the 1997 film ''[[Lost Highway (film)|Lost Highway]]''.<ref name="US Weekly"/>

Syme also did some acting, and Scott Coffey directed her in five independent short films. The last one, ''Ellie Parker'', was shown at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] in January 2001.<ref name="US Weekly"/> Syme later joined the staff of a music label.<ref name="rocksoff"/> She was also a personal assistant to guitarist [[Dave Navarro]] of [[Jane's Addiction]] and, later, the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 17, 2021 |title=Who Was Jennifer Syme, Keanu Reeves' Late Ex-Girlfriend? |url=https://www.thethings.com/who-was-jennifer-syme-keanu-reeves-late-ex-girlfriend/ |website=TheThings |access-date=October 22, 2021 |archive-date=October 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022190208/https://www.thethings.com/who-was-jennifer-syme-keanu-reeves-late-ex-girlfriend/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1997, Syme made her film debut in a small role credited as "junkie girl" in David Lynch's ''[[Lost Highway (film)|Lost Highway]]''.<ref name="chron"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lost Highway (1997) |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7ed49278 |access-date=November 21, 2021 |website=British Film Institute |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121082621/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7ed49278 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Syme had a small role credited as "casting chick" in [[Scott Coffey]]'s film ''[[Ellie Parker]]'', released in 2005,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ellie Parker (2005) |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8aff3074 |access-date=November 21, 2021 |website=British Film Institute |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121082620/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8aff3074 |url-status=dead }}</ref> reprising the role she played in the 2001 short film of the same title.<ref name="US Weekly"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kipp |first=Jeremiah |date=November 7, 2005 |title=Review: Ellie Parker |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/ellie-parker/ |website=Slant Magazine |access-date=November 24, 2021 |archive-date=November 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124063532/https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/ellie-parker/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the time of her death in 2001, Syme had enrolled in a film-supervision course at [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]],<ref name="US Weekly"/> and was working as a record company executive.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2001 |title=Keanu's Ex Killed in Crash |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=107276&page=1 |website=ABC News |access-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121082620/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=107276&page=1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Car smash kills Keanu's girlfriend |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1262030.stm |date=April 5, 2001 |website=BBC News |access-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121082620/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1262030.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Schneider" />