Jeremy Renner is back doing what he loves most — acting. The 54-year-old star has officially returned to the big screen with “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” his first film since the snowplow accident that nearly claimed his life in early 2023. “It was nice just to do a smaller part in a bigger, great movie,” Renner told E! News at the Sense of Home 10th Anniversary Gala on October 4. “So, it wasn’t too much work for me or too much responsibility.”
The new Rian Johnson film assembles an impressive cast, featuring Daniel Craig, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, and Kerry Washington. “It’s a tremendous filmmaker and tremendous cast,” Renner said, smiling. “I’ve had a lot of fun.”
Family Support Made His Return Special
Filming the Knives Out sequel turned into more than just a comeback for Jeremy Renner — it became a special family memory. The actor shared that his loved ones joined him on set in Europe, turning the experience into an unexpected summer getaway.
“I had 15 of my family members come out and visit,” Renner said with a grin. “They got a whole summer vacation in Europe. I had to work a little bit. But you know, what’s my work? I play make-believe for a living.”
Among those cheering him on was his 12-year-old daughter, Ava, whom he shares with ex Sonni Pacheco. For Renner, having her there made his return to acting after the accident that nearly took his life even more meaningful.
The Accident That Changed Everything
In January 2023, the Avengers star was crushed by a 14,000-pound snowplow outside his Nevada home while trying to protect his nephew. The accident left him with more than 30 broken bones and other life-threatening injuries.
“As I lay on the ice, my heart rate slowed, and right there, on that New Year’s Day, unknown to my daughter, my sisters, my friends, my father, my mother, I just got tired,” Renner wrote in his memoir My Next Breath. “I died, right there on the driveway to my house.”
He revealed that first responders recorded his heart rate at just 18 beats per minute. “I know I died—in fact, I’m sure of it,” Renner said. “When the EMTs arrived, they noted that my heart rate had bottomed out at 18, and at 18 beats per minute, you’re basically dead.”
Renner described the surreal calm that came over him in the moments between life and death. “The most profound adrenaline rush, yet an entirely tranquil one at the same time: electric serenity,” he wrote.
“I can still feel that space, silent, still, empty, but filled with every instant and all the forevers,” he continued. “For the first time ever, my existence had nothing to do with time. It was an entirely beautiful place, filled with a knowable magic.”
Now, as Renner rebuilds his strength and career, he says his perspective on life has undergone a complete transformation. “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” isn’t just another movie for him—it’s a symbol of survival, gratitude, and the joy of simply being alive.
