Jeremy Lee Renner (born January 7, 1971)[1][2][3] is an American actor and singer. Throughout the 2000s, Renner appeared largely in independent films such as Dahmer (2002) and Neo Ned (2005). He also appeared in supporting roles in bigger films such as S.W.A.T. (2003) and 28 Weeks Later (2007). He then turned in a much-praised performance in The Town (2010), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Renner was born in Modesto, California, to mother Valerie Cearley (née Tague) and father Lee Renner, who managed McHenry Bowl, a Modesto bowling alley, in the 1980s.[4][5][6] His parents married as teenagers and divorced when he was ten.[7][8][9] He is the oldest of seven siblings.[10] His ancestry includes German, English, Scottish, Swedish, Irish, and Panamanian.[11][12]
Renner graduated from Fred C. Beyer High School in Modesto in 1989.[5] He attended Modesto Junior College, where he studied computer science and criminology, before he took a drama class as an elective and decided to pursue acting.[5][13]
In 2002, Renner had a starring role in the film Dahmer playing serial-killer Jeffrey Dahmer. He found the role a challenge to cope with after he had finished shooting after seeing how easily Dahmer took advantage of his victims.[17] His performance was well received, and he gained a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male. He also appeared in Pink's 2003 music video for her song "Trouble" as a Bad Boy Sheriff.[18] Renner went on to appear in S.W.A.T.[19] as the former police partner of Colin Farrell's character in 2003 and The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things[20] in 2004.
Renner at the Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters premiere in 2013
After starring with Dallas Roberts in the comedy-drama Ingenious and starring in the short-lived television series The Unusuals, Renner went on to achieve critical success for his portrayal of bomb disposal expert, Sergeant William James in the 2009 Iraq war thriller The Hurt Locker (directed by Kathryn Bigelow). The role earned him several awards in the Best Actor category and his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor[25] as well a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.[26]
In 2012, Renner starred as Hawkeye in the Marvel film, The Avengers.[33][34] The same year, he also starred in the fourth film in the Bourne franchise, The Bourne Legacy, which was written and directed by Tony Gilroy.[35] Renner played a new lead character, Aaron Cross, in place of Jason Bourne, who was played by Matt Damon in the first three films. Renner has expressed interest in doing a Bourne film with Damon in the future, stating that "[it] would be kick-ass. I love Matt".[36]
Renner starred in the action horror film Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (released in January 2013), in which he and Gemma Arterton played Hansel and Gretel, respectively. The 3-D film was set 15 years after Hansel and Gretel killed the witch who kidnapped them.[37]
In spring 2016, History announced their new historical drama, Knightfall, executive produced by Renner who is expected to guest star. It will premiere in late 2016.[43]
Music
As well as acting, Renner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and drummer. Early in his acting career, he performed in the Sons of Ben. For the soundtrack of North Country he performed "I Drink Alone". In the 2006 films Love Comes to the Executioner and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Renner performed the songs "American Pie" and "Good Ole Rebel". He also appeared in music videos for "Trouble" by P!nk and "Scenes on Sunset" by Brother Sal.
He wrote and performed a comedic song, "Hawkeye Sings About His Super Powers," about his filmic character Hawkeye, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. It was published on YouTube on April 28, 2015, where it has received well over 12,500 million hits.
Personal life
Renner married Canadian model Sonni Pacheco on January 13, 2014.[44][45][46] Renner and Pacheco have a daughter, Ava Berlin (born March 28, 2013).[47][48] On December 30, 2014, Pacheco filed for divorce from Renner, citing irreconcilable differences.[49] They share custody of their daughter.[50]
Renner also runs a house-renovating business with his best friend and fellow actor, Kristoffer Winters.[14][51] In addition to acting, he studied Arnis (Filipino martial arts) and Muay Thai martial arts, mainly as preparation for his roles in the Mission Impossible and Avengers franchises.[4][52]
^According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. Searchable at [1]
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