Jeremy Renner

Jeremy Lee Renner is an American actor, singer, producer, and author born on January 7, 1971. He initially established his career through appearances in independent cinema before expanding into prominent roles in major Hollywood blockbusters and television series. Renner is widely recognized for his portrayal of Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye, across several films and television projects within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has also starred in major action franchises, including the Mission: Impossible and Bourne series, as well as the crime drama series Mayor of Kingstown.

Renner was raised in Modesto, California, by his parents, Valerie Cearley and Lee Renner, who managed a local bowling alley during the 1980s. He is the eldest of seven children in his family and possesses German and Irish heritage. After graduating from Fred C. Beyer High School in 1989, Renner enrolled at Modesto Junior College to study computer science and criminology. His career trajectory shifted toward performance after taking a drama course as an elective subject, leading him to abandon his initial studies to pursue acting.

Renner made his screen debut in the 1995 feature comedy National Lampoon's Senior Trip. Over the next several years, he worked as a makeup artist to support himself while securing guest roles on television programs such as Deadly Games, Strange Luck, Angel, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. His early success came in 2002 when he portrayed serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in the biographical film Dahmer, earning a nomination for an Independent Spirit Award. He subsequently appeared in feature films including S.W.A.T., Neo Ned, 28 Weeks Later, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

Renner achieved major critical acclaim for his performance as a bomb disposal specialist in the 2009 war film The Hurt Locker, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He earned a second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 2010 crime film The Town. Following these achievements, Renner took on high-profile action roles, playing William Brandt in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Aaron Cross in The Bourne Legacy. He expanded his Marvel presence in blockbusters like The Avengers and Captain America: Civil War, while also receiving praise for dramatic performances in American Hustle and Arrival.

Beyond acting, Renner has engaged in musical endeavors, singing, playing multiple instruments, and releasing two EPs, titled The Medicine and Love and Titanium. He operates a house-renovation business alongside an acting colleague and founded the RennerVation Foundation in 2023 to support foster and at-risk youth. In January 2023, Renner suffered critical injuries and dozens of broken bones in a snowplow accident near his home in Nevada while rescuing his nephew. After undergoing extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation, he published a memoir titled My Next Breath and resumed his acting career with a role in the 2025 mystery film Wake Up Dead Man.