Jeremy Renner is officially back on set, marking his return to acting after his near-fatal snow accident that changed his life in 2023.
The 54-year-old star has joined the cast Dead Man Wake Up: Knife Out Mysteryhis first project since sustaining over 30 broken bones when he was run down by a snowman outside his home in Nevada.
talk to and! news Meaning the house’s 10th anniversary gala on October 4 — where he and his sister, Kim Renner, were honored for their charitable work — Renner admitted the role was exactly what he needed.
“It was just nice to do a smaller role in a bigger, great movie,” he shared. “So, it wasn’t a lot of work for me or a lot of responsibility.”
The actor, who joins a star-studded lineup including Daniel Craig, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, and Kerry Washington, couldn’t stop praising the experience.
“He’s a tremendous filmmaker and a tremendous actor,” Renner said of director Rian Johnson’s project. “I had a lot of fun.”
Filming also gave him the opportunity to turn work into family time. Renner, who shares 12-year-old daughter Ava with Sonny Pacheco, brought loved ones outside during the shooting.
“I had 15 of my family members go out and visit. They had a whole summer vacation in Europe,” he joked. “I had to work a little bit. But you know, what’s my job? I play charity for a living.”
His return is especially meaningful considering the long road to recovery after his accident in January 2023.
In his memoirs My next breathRenner revealed how close he came to death.
“As I was lying on the ice, my heart rate slowed, and there, on New Year’s Day, unknown to my daughter, my sisters, my friends, my father, my mother, I was just tired,” he recalls.
“She died, right there on the driveway to my house.”
“I know I’m dead—in fact, I’m sure of it,” he continued.
“When the EMTS arrived, they noticed that your heart rate had reached 18, and at 18 beats per minute, you’re basically dead.”
Now, with his health back on track and a big movie lined up, Renner’s comeback marks not only an on-screen comeback, but a solid chapter of resilience.