For some, the glitz, the glam, and the nonstop spotlight of Hollywood is the dream—the endgame. But for others, it’s just a side effect of chasing something much more grounded. Jeremy Renner, best known for his role as Hawkeye in the MCU and as Sergeant William James in the Oscar-nominated ‘The Hurt Locker’, belongs to the second category.
On the posters for the biggest movie franchise on the planet, the Avengers: Endgame actor claims that fame was never part of the plan. His real reason for coming to Hollywood?
For this student of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, the dream was to be in a movie successful enough that it would be shown in his hometown of Modesto.
The second was about the insecurity of being seen and forgotten like countless others in blink-and-you-miss roles in films. While speaking to Rogan about the happenstance of fame, Renner admitted, “It was never something I was aiming for really.”
“Honesty and truth, because if I don’t believe it how can I expect someone watching it to believe it. I have to ensure everything I am doing is truthful and honest and courageous and bold and all the things”, he answered when Rogan asked about his ultimate goals.
“I just wanted to work, I never wanted to be famous. I was clear about what I wanted”, Renner reiterated.
Needless to say, this simple approach has worked out well for Renner so far. Even as he almost lost his life in 2023, Renner bounced back and now aims to be an inspiration by example.
Renner’s ‘titanium’ spirit
Renner took the stage at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival in December 2024 and opened up about his incredible journey since his near-fatal snow plow accident back in January 2023.
When asked if his injuries placed any limits on him, he joked, “I don’t think of it as limitations – even though I’m 25% titanium, so f**k Iron Man.”
How very Hawkeye of him!
Renner also made a remarkable return to acting after surviving blunt chest trauma and breaking 38 bones. “It’s been almost two years,” he said. “I’m proud of the adversity I’ve overcome, and grateful for all the love and support—it’s really shaped who I am today, he added, thanking fans.
He’s currently finalizing a book about the experience and spoke openly about how the trauma gave him perspective.
“I did die. But I came back—and I came back for a reason.” He also talked about his favorite song, “Wait,” from his Love and Titanium album, written for his daughter after the accident.
Renner is back in action, filming Mayor of Kingstown Season 3 and starring in Rian Johnson’s upcoming Knives Out sequel.
