Jeremy Renner Declined Hawkeye 2 Over Pay Cut

“Did you think I’m only half the Jeremy because I got ran over?”

Jeremy Renner has always been known as a tough guy on screen, but it turns out he’s just as resilient in real life.

The actor, best known for his role as Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, came terrifyingly close to death on New Year’s Day 2023. A 14,000lb snowplough ran over him as he tried to save his nephew.

He broke 38 bones and suffered injuries so graphic they sound like something out of an action movie: 14 broken ribs, a spinal fracture, a collapsed lung, a pierced liver, and even an eyeball that popped out of its socket.

Fast forward two years, and Renner is not only alive, he’s thriving. But he’s also making it clear that he won’t be pushed around. Not by life. And definitely not by Disney.

Life After the Snowplough

Speaking to Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes for the episode of the High Performance podcast, Renner says he wouldn’t change a thing, even after nearly losing his life.

“I’m happy where I’m at. I don’t want the version prior,” he shared. “Some discomfort here and there, if [I] trade that for all the gifts that I got? I’ll stay here all day long.”

For him, the accident became a wake-up call. “I like where I’m at. I let go of all the white noise. I love that life is wonderfully simple,” he said. “I don’t give value to the stuff that I gave value to because it doesn’t have any value.”

That brush with death simplified everything. When he first woke up after the accident, his immediate thought wasn’t pain or fear; it was relief. “The first thing I thought was that my calendar was clear,” he said. “My whole life was planned out for me, and I’m like, that’s all wiped clean.”

“I Just Can’t Be Bothered” Anymore

For Renner, simplicity has become the ultimate goal. “I’m happier. I give myself more time,” he said. “My life was reduced to one thing, it was just getting better.”

He no longer sweats the small stuff. “It’s so much better keeping it simpler. I am not going to overcomplicate it anymore,” he explained.

“It’s so easy to get caught up in the small things and sweat in that small shit. I just can’t be bothered.”

Family First, Always

One of the silver linings of the traumatic event? A stronger bond with the people who matter most. Renner said the accident brought his entire family closer together.

“My sister and my mum weren’t even talking for six months. That’s quickly wiped clean,” he shared. “Trauma like this was so uniting for my family. We all got through this scenario together.”

Even though his marriage to Canadian model Sonni Pacheco, the mother of his 12-year-old daughter Ava, ended years ago, Renner now makes family his top priority.

He wants future projects to fit his life, not the other way around. “I certainly look at where it’s filmed. How long do I want to be away from my home? Or if I’m away from my home, ensure that my family can be with me.”

Hollywood Support and Real Friendships

Renner also received immense support from his friends in the industry, especially his fellow Marvel stars.

“My relationship with my family, those that I love, deepened even more. The same happened with my friends, like with Paul Rudd,” he said. “He came a couple of times to visit me and stay with me, and Sam Rockwell, and all the people that called.”

“Some flew in just to come say hi and give me some love.”

Disney’s “Insult Offer” for Hawkeye Season Two

One place where Renner isn’t feeling the love? Disney.

Although he’s open to acting again, he’s being very selective. So when Disney offered him a chance to reprise his role as Hawkeye for a second season, but at half the pay, he was quick to shut it down.

“They asked me to do a season two, and they offered me half the money,” he revealed. “I’m like, ‘I’m sorry.’”

He didn’t hold back. “This is not Marvel [film]. This is like Disney, not even really Disney, it’s just the penny pinchers, the accountants. I told them to go fly a kite, just at the insult offer.”

Then came the hard-hitting question: “Why did you think I’m only half the Jeremy because I got run over? Maybe, is that why? That’s why you want to pay me half of what I made on the first season?”

Despite the frustration, Renner left the door open. “I’d still love the character. I’d still love to do it.”

A New Jeremy Renner

Today, Renner is focused on healing, simplicity, and being present with those he loves. He’s also written a book about his journey, titled “My Next Breath”.

It’s a nod to the breathing techniques he learned as a child in birthing classes, which helped him survive the traumatic event.

And as for lingering trauma? He says it’s behind him.

“If I struggled with [anxiety or depression], it might have been before the incident,” he said. “I think the snowcat maybe rolled that shit out of me. There’s no room for that in my life.”

In fact, he feels more at peace in the spotlight than ever. “I’d have more anxiety going out in public before,” he admitted. “Now there’s an awareness of the incident, and people treat me and see me as the man that I am, and not the movie star.”

Jeremy Renner’s comeback isn’t just about acting again. It’s about reclaiming control, setting boundaries, and living life on his own terms.

Whether or not he puts on the Hawkeye suit again, one thing’s for sure: he’s not letting anyone, studio or snowplough, define his worth.

TL;DR

• Jeremy Renner turned down Hawkeye Season 2 after receiving what he called an “insult offer”—half his previous pay.
• The pay cut led him to question: “Did you think I’m only half the Jeremy because I got ran over?”
• Renner survived a horrific snowplough accident in 2023, suffering 38 broken bones and severe internal injuries.
• Despite the trauma, he says he wouldn’t change the experience, calling his new life “simpler” and “stress-free.”
• His priorities have shifted; he now chooses work that allows him to stay close to family, especially his 12-year-old daughter Ava.
• Renner’s family grew closer after the accident, with even estranged relatives reconciling.
• He credits his survival in part to breathing techniques he learned as a child in birthing classes.
• The actor has written a book titled “My Next Breath” about his near-death experience and recovery.
• Friends like Paul Rudd and Sam Rockwell supported him through recovery, visiting or calling regularly.
• Renner has become more selective with roles and places higher value on his time, peace, and health.
• He says anxiety and depression are no longer part of his life: “The snowcat maybe rolled that shit out of me.”
• Though he’s open to returning as Hawkeye, it’ll have to be on fair terms and on his own timeline.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.