Jeremy Renner
Birthdate: Jan 7, 1971
Birthplace: Modesto, California, USA
Jeremy Lee Renner was born in Modesto, California, the son of Valerie (Tague) and Lee Renner, who managed a bowling alley. After a tumultuous yet happy childhood with his four younger siblings, Renner graduated from Beyer High School and attended Modesto Junior College. He explored several areas of study, including computer science, criminology, and psychology, before the theater department, with its freedom of emotional expression, drew him in.
However, Renner recognized the potential in acting as much through the local police academy as through drama classes. During his second year at Modesto Junior College, Renner role-played a domestic disturbance perpetrator as part of a police-training exercise for an easy $50. Deciding to shift his focus away from schoolwork, Renner left college and moved to San Francisco to study at the American Conservatory Theater. From there he moved to Hawaii and, in 1993, to Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, Renner devoted himself to theater, most notably starring in and co-directing the critically acclaimed "Search and Destroy." He pursued other projects during this time as well, landing his first film role in 1995's National Lampoon's Senior Trip (1995). After several commercials and supporting roles in television movies and series, Renner captured the attention of critics with his gripping, complex portrayal of the infamous serial killer in the 2002 film Dahmer (2002). Renner's performance, which earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination, is especially remarkable for painting a humane and sympathetic, yet deeply disturbing, portrait of the title character.
In 2003, Renner took a break from small indie films to work on his first commercially successful movie, S.W.A.T. (2003), with Colin Farrell. In 2005, he played the leading role in Neo Ned (2005) as an institutionalized white supremacist in love with a black girl, winning the Palm Beach International Film Festival's best actor award. Renner's pivotal supporting roles in 2005's 12 and Holding (2005) and North Country (2005) earned him accolades from critics, and his 2007 turn in Take (2007) garnered him the best actor award at California's Independent Film Festival. Also in 2007, Renner played a leading role in the horror film 28 Weeks Later (2007) as well as a supporting role in the underrated Western epic The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), with Casey Affleck, Brad Pitt, and Sam Rockwell.
Renner's depiction of Jeffrey Dahmer in 2002 caught the attention of director Kathryn Bigelow, and, in 2008, she cast him in his most famous role as Sergeant First Class William James in The Hurt Locker (2008). Renner's performance as a single-minded bomb specialist scored him an Academy Award nomination for best actor. He also earned best actor nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards, the Screen Actors Guild, and the BAFTA Awards, as well as wins in this category from several film critics groups.
In 2009, Renner starred in the short-lived TV series, The Unusuals (2009), and in 2010 he played the chilling but loyal criminal Jem in Ben Affleck bank-heist thriller The Town (2010). In the fall of 2010, Renner began filming Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011). He has also since starred in The Avengers (2012), American Hustle (2013), and Kill the Messenger (2014).
Renner's strengths as an actor derive not only from his expressive eyes but also from his ability to thoroughly embody the characters he portrays. His visceral depiction of these individuals captivates audiences and empowers him to steal scenes in many of his films, even when playing a minor role. Renner gravitates toward flawed, complicated, three-dimensional characters that allow him to explore new territory within himself.
In addition to his work as an actor, Renner continues to cultivate his lifelong love of music. A singer, songwriter, and musician, he performed with the band Sons of Ben early in his career. Scenes in Love Comes to the Executioner (2006), North Country (2005), and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) briefly showcase Renner's singing talents.
Despite traveling the world for film roles and, recently, as a United Nations Goodwill Peace Ambassador to raise awareness for mine-clearing efforts in Afghanistan, Renner remains close to his roots. In 2010, Modesto Junior College presented him the Distinguished Alumnus award in recognition of his body of work as an actor. He also headlined at a benefit for Modesto's Gallo Center for the Arts in the fall of 2010.
Renner maintains a sense of humility and gratitude, even in the wake of his recent successes and recognition. He keeps himself grounded by renovating and restoring old and rundown iconic Hollywood homes, an enterprise he began back in his early days in Los Angeles. He values loyalty and a sense of both age and history, and enjoys the opportunity to help conserve these qualities in a town that favors the young and the new.
Filmography
actor
Upcoming (1)
- 2026 |
Previous (30)
- 2019 | Arctic DogsasSwifty
Arctic Dogs
An Arctic fox works in the mailroom of a package delivery service, but wants to be doing the deliveries.
- 2019 | Avengers: EndgameasClint Barton
Avengers: Endgame
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe.
- 2018 | Docas Self - Narrator
- 2018 |
- 2017 | Wind RiverasCory Lambert
Wind River
A wildlife officer, who is haunted by a tragedy that happened because of him, teams up with an FBI agent in solving a murder of a young woman on a Wyoming Native American reservation and hopes to get redemption from his past regrets.
- 2017 |
- 2016 |
- 2015 | Mission: Impossible – Rogue NationasWilliam Brandt
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Ethan and his team take on their most impossible mission yet when they have to eradicate an international rogue organization as highly skilled as they are and committed to destroying the IMF.
- 2014 | Kill the Messengeras Gary Webb
- 2013 | The Immigrantas Orlando the Magician
- 2013 | Hansel & Gretel: Witch HuntersasHansel
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Brother-sister duo Hansel and Gretel are professional witch hunters who help innocent villagers. But they soon stumble upon a case that could hold the key to their past.
- 2012 | The Avengers Assemble Premiere
- 2012 | The Bourne LegacyasAaron Cross
The Bourne Legacy
An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.
- 2012 | The AvengersasClint BartonHawkeye
The Avengers
Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.
- 2011 | Mission: Impossible – Ghost ProtocolasBrandt
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.
- 2010 | The Townas James Coughlin
- 2010 |
- 2009 | Ingeniousas Sam
- 2009 | The Hurt LockerasStaff Sergeant William James
The Hurt Locker
During the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.
- 2008 | The Hurt Lockeras Staff Sergeant William James
- 2007 | 28 Weeks Lateras Doyle
- 2007 | Takeas Saul Gregor
- 2006 | Love Comes to the Executioneras Chick Prigusivac
- 2005 | Neo Nedas Ned
- 2005 | North Countryas Bobby Sharp
- 2002 | Dahmeras Jeffrey Dahmer
- 2002 | Monkey Loveas Dil Stephanowski
- 2001 | Fish in a Barrelas Remy
- 2001 | I.F. (Imaginary Friend)
- 1922 | Untitled Oxycontin Projectas Jerry
producer
Previous (2)
- 2024 |
- 2017 | The Founder
The Founder
The story of Ray Kroc, a salesman who turned two brothers' innovative fast food eatery, McDonald's, into the biggest restaurant business in the world, with a combination of ambition, persistence, and ruthlessness.
director
Previous (1)
- 2017 | Mr. ChibbsasDirector
Mr. Chibbs
"Mr. Chibbs" is an observational feature length documentary that follows NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson, in the midst of a mid life crisis, dealing with drinking issues, attempting to get a job, and on a journey to find himself ten y...
