Jeremy Renner
- Actor
- Producer
- Sound Department
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.
(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.