Friday 29th July – Sunday 31st July 2016 were the official dates of one of London’s biggest and most anticipated conventions – London Film and Comic Con. The Con has played host to some massive names in both the comic book and movie world, and this year was no different, with guests such as various members of the Game of Thrones cast, Famke Janssen (How to Get Away with Murder, X-Men, Hemlock Grove), Jeremy Renner (Thor, The Hurt Locker, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) and several wrestlers, artists and tv/movie stars.
This Saturday featured a panel for Jeremy Renner, with a brief introduction and a few questions from the host – then the rest of the panel was taken to the floor for fan questions.
During these questions, Renner said that he still doesn’t consider himself an action hero. Despite his role as an avenger in the Marvel Studios releases, and his role in a Bourne movie (The Bourne Legacy), Renner says he always prefers the human side of his roles, and doesn’t focus on the action side of things. He then jokingly adds that he agreed to the role of Hawkeye because “he doesn’t fly around, have a suit, armour or lightening arrow – he has no friggin’ superpowers! I can do that!”
Upon being asked the question, would he consider a Bourne crossover with Matt Damon, Renner nodded eagerly and said he’d absolutely love to – but that unfortunately, a decision like this is out of his pay grade.
He also emphasised (when asked if he’s pressured by agents or producers to take particular roles) “I do what I wanna do, always.” He also mentioned that he has no favourite roles he’s ever played as he doesn’t believe in it. Renner says that every role is his favourite role (“or I wouldn’t have taken the job.)
When Jeremy was asked what his most difficult role to play was, he answers without hesitation that it was Jeffery Dahmer (Dahmer, 2002). “It was completely terrifying.” He says, talking sincerely about how difficult it was to get into that sort of headspace when he himself can barely comprehend the horrific crimes that Dahmer committed. He mentions how he worked incredibly hard to find a “way in” to that role, into that human’s headspace, and how he had to find the psychological way in to play him convincingly. And it certainly worked – the film holds mostly mixed to positive reviews, praising Renner for his performance.
On the topic of weirdness, Renner also explains that his strangest fan encounter (“It’s like picking a favourite role. I have a lot of these odd experiences.”) took place at a urinal – involving the person trying to take a selfie with them both at the urinal, and saying “But it’s for my son man!” – Renner says that the statement made the whole thing weirder. So he began using cubicles instead to try and retain privacy, which doesn’t always work. “I see this hand, coming up under the cubicle door, with an iPhone in it. And man.” Renner laughs, all good natured and lively.
A fan then puts their hand up and asks which life he’d prefer his character in The Avengers to live – the stay-at-home family man, or as the hero? Jeremy pauses, then grins and goes “Did you just ask me how I wanna die?” As the crowd laughs, Renner cuts in with “Dies a hero or daddy has a heart attack at home? Come on man!” – and then he says he hasn’t seen Captain America: Civil War yet and asks”Do I die in that?”
Renner then goes on to say that he loves playing Hawkeye, and confesses to the crowd that his role in the first Avenger’s movie (The Avengers/Avenges Assemble), actually made him incredible frustrated. “I was so excited to play this character and then he gets made into a lifeless zombie for the whole movie” – as a result of this, Renner had barely any room to find out more about Clint Barton. He says he prefers the later movies, such as Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War as he had much more screen-time and humanity to explore for the character.
The actor then laughs and says he isn’t done playing Hawkeye yet, so he doesn’t want him to die – he’s got “some real cool, real awesome” ideas coming up (earning a round of applause) – “amazing ways to die.” he quips, nodding to the fan who asked the initial question.
Asked if there’s any chance of a Hawkeye solo movie, Renner responds “it’d be kinda cool – but I don’t make those decisions” – sorry, Hawkeye fans! But maybe a Netflix series..?
Renner is asked more questions about his creative future. When asked if he always wants to just be an actor, or if he’d like to direct, Renner nods very eagerly. He explains he’d love to direct a movie – but when his baby (Ava Berlin) is older. His reason being it’s a huge commitment – that you have to be there “before, during the whole process, there for editing and the cutting room floor, and then all the press and premieres after” – and he wants to wait because his baby comes first.
Finally, the last question of the day is a fan who asks what we’re all waiting for – what more do we have to look forward to from Jeremy Renner? The actor responds that he’s currently working on a science-fiction movie with Amy Adams (Enchanted, American Hustle, Man of Steel) named Arrival. He explains it should be coming out in November, and that it’s a smart, thoughtful and very accessible alien movie, and that he’s very excited for the release.
Overall, it was a very informative and fun panel – despite doing hours worth of photo-shoots with fans in the morning and the afternoon, Jeremy Renner remains active, engaging and totally polite to his fans. He’s been a fantastic addition to the weekend line-up, and fingers crossed he comes back for another year!
@Marie_Silveiraa
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