Happy Sad Confused - Jeremy Renner, Vol. II

Episode Date: June 3, 2024

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strong bond with my physical body and I don't compare it to what it was or what it can be. It's just like, okay, here's the state of the union now. And how do I get better just from this? Right. This is the only thing that matters now. Right. That's how I feel in this body now and how I move forward from here. That is my only barometer.

Yeah. Who gives the shit? Who cares about the rest of shit? Yeah. Yeah. When I was 20, I could run out 434. Yeah. Everybody could.

You're 53 old man. Figure it out. Right? So I don't do that to myself. Yeah. and how do I move forward? Because then I could probably work towards something. I might get stronger and better and faster at something.

Who knows? Sure. I don't know, but I worry about my next step. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. I'm Josh Horowitz, and today on Happy Say I Confused, Jeremy Renner is here. I'm frankly, I'm just happy Jeremy Renner is anywhere.

He is back on the podcast. It's been nearly 10 years since Jeremy's been here. New Marvel movies, a few seasons of Mayor of Kingstown, one life-changing accidents. Yeah. We're back in business, buddy. That's right. And only happy.

Only happy. There's no sad and confused for me now. It's a one-way street of joy. That's all I can feel now. It's honestly amazing to see you. I'm happy to see you too, dude. I was going to say it's funny. It's not funny.

It's insane to think. But I was going to get my calendar. We were scheduled to talk January 10th, 2023. Oh, yeah. So you really went out of your way to get out of talking to me. Do you really hate these conversations? conversation so much. Yeah.

Do you want me just go through my questions I had back then? Oh, yeah, yeah. For season two? Yeah. What are you excited for in season two? Yeah, exactly. Oh, man. Congratulations on the new season.

Talk to me just like, let's just start with us in terms of like, I'm sure everybody's asking you, how are you doing? And that's like a loaded question in any context. But like, how are you doing and how are your interactions now with fans versus what they were prior to all this madness. Those are a lot of things, and all those are different, you know. For one, like, I'm at the end of a season, right? Usually you start the season strong and you end like a show of a man.

Because you get work to death, right? Yeah. I started as a show of a man beginning of this season in January. Now I'm stronger. Yeah. And feeling great. And so they took really good care of me. And the work is going to show well in it, too.

And then how fan interactions and just interactions. in general people or the GP is general public of anywhere you go at a KFC or a airport or whatever. Disneyland or wherever it is. It's a different narrative. You really realize that this is a shared experience, shared story. And I kind of take it as that now. And it's the coolest gift that came from an accident.

It is now to be known for the man that I am, that I overcame something, not like the guy that's got a bow and arrow, right? Very different narrative, very different narrative and how they treat you and how someone treats you and how someone sees you. And they bring their story too, don't know? Yeah, yeah. Then there's more connective tissue of other people that are going through struggles and because it's a lonely, lonely business recovery.

And but when there's other people out there, like if I can, people, that's why I share it so much because it's helping other people get through their, their tough times and difficult times. And again, recovery's, I'm doing this shit for the rest of my life, sure, right? It's not just like going to walk. I'm good. Yeah, it's not like I'm ever going to be just fully fixed. Like, yeah, it's a long list of things to overcome in a day for me. But at least my eyes back in my head and you know, I got a smile. It's rocking. I just resent the fact that your body was decimated and you look way better than me. I look like the one that was decimated now. You look good. Get out of here. You look strong. Yeah. Talk to me a little bit

about, again, like this whole, look, I'm not going to go Diane Sawyer on you because you did Diane Sawyer, but you kind of had this amazing experience where, like, you witnessed your own funeral in a way, like how people would talk about you, how people, like, you probably have had this very rare occurrence where you get to see how, kind of how the world understood you and connected with you. Yeah, and that's strange, right? It was bizarre, and it was a constant learning, and, you know, there's a lot of things that were unpacked because some of it I was pretty stoned through like you get a lot of

painkillers but you know I always use humor a lot of times to find sobriety I knew I was like wasn't too messed up if I could crack a joke and like oh make right I'm reading the room there's a timing to things it requires a lot of intelligence to get a joke out so that I'm not too screwed up to you know crack a joke so I know I can remember all this stuff yeah and but yeah I remember yeah being on my bed and like people were like like like to saying their goodbyes, dude. I'm like, I'm screaming in my head, even though I'm like, you motherfuckers, I ain't going anywhere.

I wish I could talk. Not yet. I wish this too wasn't jammed down my throat. I'd fucking kidding. Take this out. How dare you? Stay goodbye to me. I'm not going anywhere.

Were you, is that what you're saying? But that's my mindset, dude. But like, the real reality is like my eyes, you know, it was messed up. And like, I feel, I feel terrible. You know, I remember, like, Anthony Mackey was like one of the first people. there that was not at on the scene uh he was he was in Vegas and he popped right over and he's one of the first I saw not screaming in him too in my head didn't didn't take a bite of me yeah it was just a different Mackey because Mackey is usually the life of the party like Mr. Fun

Times no yeah no there's no fun times there man there's no there's no fun times to be out there I was going to say it sounds like your friends the like the Avengers everybody they showed for they showed up yeah yeah 100 percent someone were laying in my my bed with me and you know All this stuff. It was, you know. That's crazy. It was probably a good thing I was intubated. What was real?

What was it? What actually happened? Did Anthony Mackey visit me or we got the drugs? Yeah, yeah, exactly. So, look, yeah, it's hard to talk about this because it's not like, oh, it was one month of my life because it is an ongoing process and it's been nearly a year and a half and it continues. But I'm curious, like, because like over the pandemic, actually, I was talking to folks about like comfort and what we took comfort in in those trying times, like comfort films.

Yeah. Did you find any comfort, obviously, from the love of family and friends, but, like, I don't know, in art. Did you find comfort in film or TV? I watched horror films. Even in the ICU, I had this little projector. And, like, since everybody else is moaning in that damn ICU, I'm going to play these horror films. Like, no joke. I'm like, this is how, like, you know, bananas I was.

I was, again, a little loopy. Sure. But I found comfort in watching, like, these horror films. Like, Barbarian, love this film. Such a good film, right? I've seen it so many times, like the baby, this whole thing. It brings me so much joy. Right.

It does. That movie brings me so much joy. Huh. And so I really, I played that in both ICU's that I was in. I'm like, crank it up again. One more time for a bit. I'm going to el-mone you in here. Yeah, you think that's painful.

You don't know what I'm going through. Again, humor is the way through all of it, isn't it? Humor is the way through everything, dude. Humor was, I mean, honestly, it was my way through everything. So I don't. take this shit too seriously. Like, if I looked at everything was going on for what it was for face

value, I'm like, dude, dude, I think I did say that at one point. Anything else I can hit you, Mr. Renner? I'm like, yeah, a tall bridge, you know? It's like, when I listen. Cut my brake lines on my wheelchair and just give me a go in a four or five freeway. Gallo's humor. Yeah, you got it. You got to do it.

You know, pretty dark. It was messed up. When I, when I listened, so you were on the podcast many years ago, nine years ago, about nine and a half years ago, and one of the things you said was the work for you was not being at work. That was the job, at least at that time. Yeah, yeah, sure. So, look, obviously a lot had changed and, like, your daughter's growing up, your families, you know, that stuff. But, like, it then strikes me, look, you're on the shelf for a long while. Did it, was it tough to kind of, like, be on the sidelines and not, and,

and no, it wasn't right for you physically, certainly, and mentally yet. Yeah, there's no sideline for me. I was on the front lines, man. I'm on the front lines every day. So there's no considering anything else besides the battle that's my next breath or my next step. So it doesn't matter, right? So there's things that we all need to look forward to in life. We always have to have something to look forward to.

I think we probably learned a lot of that during COVID and stuff. We have to fight some sort of thing to get us out of the house or something to look forward to, right? And for me, it was a lot of different things. It was my next breath or was my next step or setting up or,

not peeing in a jar or whatever or, you know, showing my mom that I could walk out of the chair, you know, surprised her or my daughter picking her up in school, right? It's always something like that to look forward to for me or renovations, you know, that show, that was important for me to get out there. I was yelling at Disney. Look, I look fine, it's going to be fine. Do not put this on the shelf. We work too dang hard on this show. So we got that out. I was going to walk that carpet, you know, all these things.

And then the show came up, Mayor of Kingstown. Like, that's something I can consider it in the future. And, you know, I probably over-over-promise myself in my brain that I could do it with my body's like, yeah, no, it's not happening, dude. Yeah, we'll see about that. Let's wait another six months. So when did you get serious about planning to get back on set? Like, how long is that going to be able to be.

You know, probably, you know, look, I think I walked the carpet for renovations in March, beginning, end of March, beginning of April. And, you know, that's, you know, that's. I was pushing it, man. That's... I was pushing. It's insane. With all their respect, it seems insane. Yeah, I'm like, I must have been high.

Like, what was I think? But I wasn't. I was all pink killers really early. Wow. But, you know, I don't know. It's probably like around then because I could do that. And I'm like, already planning something else. I was really quite a force in my recovery, but also in my stubbornness to like look forward to keep pushing.

Right. Because if I stopped and had any moment to pause, I'm going to lock up. I'm going to lock up. I'm emotionally lock up or mentally lock up and like turn into a pity party and then it's just gonna be like

so I kept just moving forward moving forward like a downhill freight train to like that's just keep going keep going keep going and it was kind of a force to reckon with it because I did have a lot of love that made me that way

sure they gave me that that permission to go like yeah we're going to spring break we're going to Magic Mountain to write all the roller coasters I'm sure all my doctor's like, what are you doing, you psychopath? This is it, the day you finally ask for that big promotion.

You're in front of your mirror with your Starbucks coffee. Be confident, assertive, remember eye contact, but also remember to blink. Smile, but not too much, that's weird. What if you aren't any good at your job? What if they damn out you instead? Okay, don't be silly. You're smart, you're driven, you're going to be late if you keep talking to the mirror. This promotion is yours.

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Is basically Merritt of Kingston the first thing that you've shot since the accident? I mean, I saw it from the music video, some smaller things, like that kind of stuff, right? Yeah. So all the preparation, like, are you back to being like a young actor the night before and feeling like nerves? Does it feel like, oh, this is what I do? I know how to do this? Like the night before the first day, what was it like?

Both those things. I know this character very well, obviously, but I don't, can't trust myself. I can't trust how I walk or move. I had to watch the, it's part of season two

to watch my walk again because he has a very specific walk. Yeah. I don't know how to do that walk because I got new parts and they move differently and I have to think differently how to move them.

Before I could just emotionally do it, like shoulders first, da-da-da, swagger, right? But now it's like, I have to do. do that just to walk normal right now now how do i do it to do mike stuff so yeah i feel like reprogram right so it was different so i was nervous i was uh not secure i don't think i was insecure i was just not secure with my footing my physical footing and that created a lot of

do i even have the aggression do i have the aggression that i have the aggression that mic has that you know that fortitude of like you know his aggro right it's yeah so fragile i Really, I felt emotionally fragile because I was. And because it was physically fragile as well. And so I was very nervous. And I just took it, you know, one step at a time. And, you know, the first scene I think we shot was just, you know, me clearing snow off my mom's grave or my brother's grave.

And it's a lot of different things. So I don't know. It was, yeah, I was very nervous. And it took some time to kind of get back into it. And, you know, after the first fight scene I had, which I didn't think I was going to be able to do, that, I think, kind of set the tone for like, okay, I think this is happening. Well, that's the other thing is, like, it's not just Mike and this character, but so much of

your career is wrestling your physicality. Like, I mean, like, you talk about the walk, but fighting, bows and arrows, jumping. Yeah, yeah. That's part of you. Right. And to that worry that, like, I'll live, you know, I'm going to survive this. I'm going to live a life. But can I do what I need, what I used to do?

execute on screen? Is that also factor in to like, are you more or less prone to doing action roles now than you would have been prior? I just have a different, I have a really strong bond with my physical body and I don't compare it to what it was or what it can be. It's just like, okay, here's the state of the union now. And how do I get better just from this? Right.

This is the only thing that matters now. Right. That's how I feel in this body now and how I move forward from here. That is my only barometer. Yeah. Who cares about the rest of shit? Yeah, when I was 20, I could run a 4-340. Yeah, great, who cares?

Everybody could. You're 53, old man, figure it out. Right, so I don't do that to myself. Yeah. Think about this and how do I move forward because then I could probably work towards something. Yeah. I might get stronger and better and faster at something. Who knows?

Sure. I don't know, but I worry about my next step. And my next step could be just taking this moment and how do I progress from it. And that has been a huge part of my recovery. let's talk generally speaking more about like the this show and how it came to be yeah because I was such a fan of wind river that was the first collaboration with Taylor um did that relationship end up kind of spawning this show in a way oh sure yeah for sure yeah we were always in early talks about a lot of different things he he just created so much material that you know I never got to work with a guy anymore he's just too busy creating you know shows and running shows you know so um But with this one, I signed on to do the first season of Mayor of Kingston, you know, without reading a word of it, just off what was kind of pitched to me over the phone. And now I wanted to work with him again. And I'm like, this is a, yeah, let's do it.

And so, and I love being in, I love doing his writing. I just, we need to do like another film together. That's what I'd really like to do if he could ever take the time. At that point, when you made Win River, had you and Lizzie worked together in the Marvel? Yeah, we did on the Marvel. Yeah, we worked together on age of old. In London is where we met up and then we got to do Wind River together. Got it.

I miss her. I haven't seen her in a while, man, but I miss her. You both are so excellent in that one. A lot of your best work are the bleakest films on the planet, I will say. I don't know if there's a correlation between your enjoyment level on a set versus how sad and oppressive a film is. But I hope that wasn't as tough as it looks. I hope you enjoyed yourself.

Yeah, that was my favorite job I've had ever. Yeah, Wind River is my favorite job. Just the writing, the whole... The writing, well, it was also, like, you know, it's a small enough film. We're all, like, living, like, where I already kind of live, you know, in that mountain sort of environment. We all took snowmobiles to work. Yeah, yeah. Right?

I was only there eight weeks. My daughter could visit. Like, everything kind of is matched up. It didn't take too long. It wasn't too dang cold. We were dressed properly for the cold, right? We weren't like... But you had to do this.

It's summer, guys, right? Yeah, exactly. Right. So everything just kind of worked. There's like a uniform. Like, oh, right, and I'm warm. It's never cold, right? So it worked out great.

And then also, to me, the importance of the reality of what does happen in Wind River and on reservations and the importance of that and having a voice for the indigenous women. And that was important to me. And then the character was very close to who I am. I mean, there's only one or two things that are different. Like I probably would have just ended that guy at the end of the movie. But he just gave a chance to run down, you know. How beautifully poetic that is, you know, just let him.

you know, ultimately commit suicide. Right. But the... Bernthal in that film, yeah, yeah, yeah, he's great. Unbelievable. Yeah, there's so many great actors in it and they're all used it.

A lot of them have been through... I mean, Hugh Dillon's one of them. Part of the Sheridan universe. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, they're all up running around there. Are your audition days over? When was the last time Jeremy Renner had to audition for a film?

I think it was Mad Max. It's so funny to say that. I just came from doing the podcast with George Miller today. Oh, yeah. And I was reading the book about The Making Fury Road. And it was said that you were one of, like, the final guys.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What was that experience like? Can you just tell me, like, George is such an amazing man. Yeah, yeah. And I know he, like, doesn't necessarily have somebody even read the scenes. It's like from network or something. It was a whole different experience, you know, typically on how he does it. Because there's a, you had somebody watch you go through the comic of the thing or read the script.

Yeah, you're like, oh, okay, storyboards and read the script. Yeah. And then you leave it behind. You have to sign your life away. and this whole thing and security guards like what's the weirdest thing so i got to do that and then it just sort of like go on like do my thing and i think it was with zilli cravitz i think i did mine with i might have did it with another girl as well it just kind of mix some match and screen testing kind of thing um and i think hardy and then there's one other one i think it was actually

army hammer that was uh oh oh was he was that back back then yeah yeah and uh it's all i knew and then i remember i was shooting something at the time i think and um that that was my last That's auditioned. Were you trying, like, I guess you can't do an imitation of Mel. You were trying to do your own thing? Oh, yeah, no, there's a whole, yeah, there's a whole different kind of thing. Crazy. Yeah, yeah.

What's the most extreme? Were you the kind of actor when you were auditioning a lot, like, that would come in with, like, a prop and outfit, like, a whole thing? Or, like, just read the words. Like, what was your attitude towards? It's been a while, I suppose. No, to me was always, I just used truth as my guide. Yeah. And that was my, I was always victorious no matter what is said or done.

It doesn't matter how bad the casting director is I'm working with or whatever it is. I got to stay in this truth and just, this, I want it to be, when you're, once you're in your own power, then you're winning. Right. And that was always my guide through any audition. So not trying to please anybody or do anything right, right? It's impossible. You just have to be in your truth and your power. And let it be really wrong, maybe the way you went about it.

but at least you're committed to do it, you know, but people don't understand, even if you're really often, like, maybe your choices. Yeah, you're making choices at least. Yeah, but you're still making choices because maybe I only had three pages of the script that I don't know anything about, right?

Well, I guess the fool's errand is to guess what they want. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're screwed already. Right. You're screwed already if you do that. Be truthful to your own instance. Yeah, yeah, yeah, then you're winning. If it matches up, great, if not,

there's the next one. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. There was this period of time, and again, this is like, from our old conversation, but like talking about franchises, where you like,

story on the last podcast we did, where suddenly every franchise came to you in like a week. And you had like basically, you had like four franchises. You had potentially. Yeah, but potential. Yeah. Mission. Born legacy. Born.

Born. And, I'm forgetting one other one, too. And Avengers, obviously. Yeah, yeah. Is part of you happy, like, some of them continued. Some of them didn't. Yeah. That's just the way it works.

It kind of all worked out. Like, yeah. Yeah. If you had to do all four of those, you would. Oh, yeah. Yeah. It was, you know, that's 10, 15 years. Oh, yeah, God, I probably wouldn't have made it.

Yeah. You wouldn't have had time to do anything else. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's good. And does, at this point in your life, obviously, the aspirations, the interests, like, it sounds like you're so focused on, like, yes, the next step, the next day. So, like, you don't need to be necessarily, I would assume, like, you're not chasing something, whatever.

No, not really. No, I mean, if I am, it's, now that my daughter's 11, it's very different than when she was one because my one-year-old daughter's not going to understand where her dad's at or not there. Right. So I said, I punted everything away. Dad's here. Yeah.

And I had to do that at least for the first seven years because you really cement that into a child's brain in existence, right? They're pretty cooked at around seven. Knowing that first face you see, last face you see every day is this face. Ah, yeah. Right? Every smell, everything. Yeah.

So, but that still continues on now. But now that she's a little bit, can be a little bit more mobile and I can show, show her the world little different way, that's a little more interesting. So maybe I'll take a job in Europe or over here, over here, so I can show her the things that, you know, I was doing, but I was doing it by myself. Yeah. So now my mom's like, okay, I'll watch her while you're at work. And everyone's, like, jumping on board.

Like, this is great. So now I can have my career and my family too. Perfect. If that's, you know, if that's a possibility, then I'll do that job, right? So I'm not chasing anything. It just has the parameters of like, is my whole family invited? Right. Because if they're not, I'm not doing it.

If they are, then let's do this. Are there, does she influence your decisions? Like, is she, I mean, I guess in practicality, but also in, like, what she's into, like, is her, like, greatest desire, like, any 11, 12-year-old girl, like, work with Taylor Swift? I would make different decisions if she showed interest in this while, or if, like, she's like, yeah, I really want to do this movie, but they want you in. And I'm like, maybe I'll do it so you can do it. I don't know.

I'd probably make different decisions because of her, to my demise. But, yeah, of course, man. It's just, I love my daughter. I'll do it to any for her, and she helps me get out of my own way in a lot of ways, you know? So, what was the experience like of working with her in the music video? What's that? On the music video. She's in the video.

Oh, yeah, she's got, that was easy and great because she gets to play herself. We get to be ourselves. She's really great in front of the camera that way, be herself. Yeah. When we did the silk commercial, still kind of the same thing, but that's very technical. Yes. And she didn't know what technical is. She didn't know what a line reading is.

Sure. having to say it here is do this do this now do it like this and you got to show her what that does and what that knows but then like she didn't know repeating it over and over again she thought they didn't like her that she wasn't doing it right right and no one told her that it was like all the other whip pan all the other technical things were going wrong she was doing it great yeah you can see her energy level just get like oh oh just sink and then she went back into the room and started crying and like well it's well and it broke my heart i'm like oh honey no i have to do it all the time I'll repeat all the time too.

You should do a venture movie. You should do one of those. Yeah, exactly. And I wish I would have watched a monitor and shown her and like, look, you have to do with the wooden spoon came out or whatever. She didn't know. And she's just like, oh. Now she knows. Now she knows.

Yeah, but that broke my heart, boy. Whereas music must have helped you through as well through the last year and a half, yes? Yeah, initially, you know, that was not the first kind of outlet? Yeah, I was pretty, you know, a most. mobile still, but I could still, I moved up to the mountains and just be with the family. And yeah, people came up and we started writing and it was something else to do creatively. I wasn't physically able to, it's a physical process to sing. I couldn't just sit down and sing.

I wasn't ready to sing, but I was certainly ready to share the music and write it with friends of mine. And it started in March, but we really kind of cemented it around the fourth, after 4th July and then put it out on the just in time for the anniversary of it and so have you have you seen on screen have you ever been in like a music you haven't done a musical no i haven't any interesting to do it'd be really fun i kind of i love doing that on stage yeah that was always really fun um great way to kind of exercise voice and body and kind of in character i think that's really great a lot different than you know if you want to go to perform live with your own music you're not really hiding

in a character, pretty vulnerable, pretty exposing. You're saying it's more exposing to... By just being yourself, of course, going out and performing live. 100%. Especially, you know, this content that I just done, right? I don't know if I can get through a set. Right. That is pretty...

Are you generally more emotional than you ever were? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Definitely more connected. I've always been pretty sensitive, but like I'm just even more so. pretty sensitive to things like why am I

crying at this commercial like what's going on what is happening do you cry at the end of arrival because that is one of those movies that that ending wrecks me yeah he's sobbing

dude he's like ah I'm like yeah yeah you had had your daughter then she was quite young

I think when you made that yeah she's like two two and a half but that that I would imagine as a parent to watching that movie, that's like... Yeah, yeah, yeah. That will wreck you.

What, is Deney... Look, Deney is now finally celebrated, I feel like in recent years. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he's a visionary. Yeah, he's a real filmmaker, boy, yeah, he's a real treat, real joy to work with. Seems like the sweetest man. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, at this point, are you more interested in potentially, like, I would love to see you and Deney again. Yeah, me too.

You and Bigelow again. Yeah, me too. I would love it. I would love it. Is that one of those things, like, it's a long career, you know? If it wasn't the right thing comes around. Yeah, I think so. I think it's also a timing thing, you know?

He's, he's been on a trajectory doing these bigger films and, and he's rocking Dune right now. And I think at some point, somehow, some way, you know, it's like I just call him, like, you want to do, you know. It's like there's a handful of people, you know, even, you know, David O' Russell, we've been talking recently about doing something. But smaller even than it was, you know, a little chaotic on American Hustle. There's a lot of people in that, a lot of stuff. stories to fulfill. Which is great, but

I think it kind of takes away from I think any one of those characters in American House so you can make a whole film about. And he's so good at character and writing in character and improving and it's pretty alive on set. But when you have too many pieces, it's like it's kind of chaotic

and it gets a little too much, right? There's a lot of, too many spinning plates to kind of keep going, right? He likes chaos though. Yeah, yeah, he does. And I'm not to something okay with that, but like, let's do it to where it's controlled chaos, if not full chaos, right? 80% chaos? Yeah.

And that's where I think, that's probably why silver lining works a little, maybe a little better. Yeah, that's about that core story. Yeah, that core story. So that's the kind of story I'd like to do with them as we talked about. So maybe there's something like that. And I know there's something like that in the future.

And like you said, you know, it's me probably getting the interest in, you know, dragging down Catherine or Denise or people that you work with that you love. By the way, that's the only way I'll probably go back to work is, you know where it's standard is a little higher now yeah yeah yeah you did appear in one film in the last couple years uh excellent working glass onion uh the knives out oh yeah yeah yeah yeah with my my hot sauce your hot sauce my small batch christmas hot sauce how is not a not a real thing by now why

this is you're leaving money on the table they call they call they call it say it's so cool it'd be cool we use your name and for this for this small batch hot sauce in the movie i'm like well what's the context of it. Like, they show me, it's like, oh, man, this is so great. And like, and like, then we talked about actually making this small batch hot sauce, because I do love hot sauce. And then, like, now they launch it, uh, and make it a real thing. Just even promotion for their movie, just like, you know, whatever, I'm down for it. And then Netflix is like, yeah, okay, let's make a little mini doc about it. And this whole thing you make in the hot stuff. I'm like, oh my goodness, this is really happening? New career. But yeah, like, uh,

yeah, I didn't have the time ultimately to do all that. But yeah, I'm glad I got to make it in there. Well, yeah, it's not just a throwaway joke. It's like integral to the plot. Like, it's actually an important part. That's right. The one shitty downside, I don't know if you anticipated this, that means you can't be in a Knives Out movie unless you're playing yourself because you exist in that universe as Jeremy Renner. You did not think this through Jeremy.

Uh-oh. Oh, no. What did I do? It was a good movies, though. Great movies. Yeah, Ryan's a genius. And another nice guy. Yeah, yeah.

And that's how I really, I met him. And I'm like, oh, great. Like, why didn't you call me to be in it, you jackass? Yeah, whatever. During the Volvo Fall Experience event, discover exceptional offers and thoughtful design that leaves plenty of room for autumn adventures. And see for yourself how Volvo's legendary safety

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even court appearances. It can feel exhausting, even impossible to keep up with. I'm Brad Milkey. I'm the host of Start Here. the Daily Podcast from ABC News. And every morning my team and I get you caught up on the day's news in a quick, straightforward way that's easy to understand with just enough context so you can listen, get it, and go on with your day.

So, kickstart your morning. Start Smart with Start Here and ABC News because staying informed shouldn't feel overwhelming. If you'll indulge me, a couple of other of the films, you've been in that I just want to revisit. The Mission Impossible films, why only two? Why did,

because the word was that you had signed on for three films. What actually happened? Yeah, that was, well, it's my daughter and having, in the time that it takes to do those, um, and the, you know,

it's very kind, the way of this film is usually there's giant set pieces and they start to write the script around these set pieces, right? Tom will be working on this stunt for a long time and dot it on. They'll just build a story around, these set pieces. So there's no, so there's no schedule. So they can't, I can't go out for a year and a half. I got to go be a dad. Yeah. Right. I can't just move my daughter out here because,

you know, the mom is out here. You know, I was landlocked out here. I couldn't film overseas anymore. Right. And, um, Rebecca Ferguson actually said something to the same effect. It's like, because of the nature of those stories, it's like, it's just a giant block of time. Yeah. And it's kind of morphist. I don't have the time. I don't have the time to commit to, to give to that, you know, even though as much as I love it back, if I was single, I'd probably still be doing those things and it's great fun because they are great fun to film

and I enjoy it, enjoy everybody on it but maybe, again, like I say because my daughter's older, maybe there's more of an opportunity to do something. But real life, yeah, I got it. But real life, I just had to do with that. But they also, you know,

I remember trying to bring me over for a week so then kill my character. I'm like, no, you don't get to do that. I'm like, you're going to drag me over there and just kill my character. I'll get out of here. I'll wait. And use me right.

Yeah, yeah. You're going to do this, you're going to lose my character, you're going to do it right. Yeah, and you know, I yelled at Chris. I'm like, dude, you're not going to do this to me like that. It's going to do me wrong. Was that in the most recent one or fallout probably? That was the one that I wasn't in. Yeah, yeah.

Right after the, yeah, that was the... So you did the Bradford one and then you did six. Yeah. So they're doing seven and eight right now. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So whatever that one was, I don't know. Was it ever real?

Because there was all this conjecture that like this was being set up for you, like, you we're going to inherit the mantle. No, no, that's always Tom's show. I think that would be a Tom decision if he's ever wanted to change that narrative, right? But that's, it's always been something that that, and I think as he's kind of maturing as an actor, I think he kind of wants to hold on. He's like, who he's doing Top Gun again, right? Yeah.

And kind of rebooting that and like, let's lay into the things that he's comfortable with in his life right now. Yeah. Right. He's probably not running around trying another Magnolia and another thing and another, right? He's kind of laying into his lane right now. Yeah. And staying pretty busy with that.

He's doing well. He's got, his franchises are a billion-dollar franchises. So, like, he's kind of doing well. Yeah. So maybe when those calm down, it's like, maybe, right? Give something to the little guy. Yeah, yeah. The guy's a beast.

The guy works harder than anybody I know. I know. He's such an inspiration to me in so many ways. Wait, do you get the cruise cake, by the way? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Fuck you, man. Come on. You always tell him, like, dude, you send this to me.

I love it. I get, like, one, I give myself one slice. Right. And I'm like, everybody else, you know, indulve. It's so good. It's like, love. Literally, it's, it makes me believe in a lot of things. It makes me believe in love.

There's a higher power. It makes me believe in love. It makes me believe in, if this is possible. That's so good. I talked to Justin Lynn recently. Oh, yeah, I love him. Another great guy. Yeah, I love him.

Sweetest guy. We've been inadvertently chatting through friends to do something together again, another one to. And again, he was, he was on board, and he was excited to work with you on a potential born movie at the time. Yep, yep. How far down the road did you guys get on that one? We got, we're getting pretty far. And to the point where, like, all of a sudden, greengrass and Damon were,

just put one together and, like, so they got, wait, wow, let's work together. And we'll work, that's because we wanted to, like, you know, pivot and try to get both. Yeah, was that the only universe together. That's what was my idea was always to try to get us together, a pin us against each other. Yeah. And then we realized, what are we doing? That's, we and you know together, we can go smash all of them. And, like, let's go after them.

Now you got born and cross together, like, you know, it's a good duo, right? That'd be pretty badass. It would have been amazing. Yeah. We haven't even talked about Hawkeye Avengers stuff. Let's talk a little bit. Okay, so there's all this talk about, like, the OGs are going to come back at some point. Like, where do you stand on, like, a death remaining a death in a film?

Yeah, I know. Like, I mean, the scene between you and Scarlet is heartbreaking and amazing. Is it kind of like, where do you, I don't know, what's your vote? Maybe if I have enough time goes by, right? And I think it kind of has at this point, but you got to also, but what is the point of of the narrative of the story. These are beloved characters. We did spend, you know, 23 films together, essentially, as a collective, to start it up for

what is the reason, what is the story? Because, like, do you have to do more after that? Is it, where do you ever resolve this? Right. What is it ever going to feel like everyone gets the little bow and like, it feels great? Nobody died and, like, what happens here? Like, how does it happen? There are no consequences.

Or there's no consequence because, like, we get it's like, you know, multi-university and your death doesn't mean anything, right? So, yeah, I don't know. I've got feelings about it. I think everybody does. I think, I think the guys that died, I think they have feelings about it. Have you ever asked to be killed off? Have you ever said, you know, give me a great death? No, no, I never asked to be killed.

I just, I was really asking for, what did I ever ask for? Just, yeah, what is left, what was left on the table that you can't, you asked for with respect to Hawkeye? Like, the fact that you and Scarlett never got kind of like the team-up movie felt like something left off the table. I mean, I think stuff like that's always interesting and exciting. You know, you could pull in so many people just for that. And it's kind of like a Mr. Mrs. Smith kind of vibe. It could be interesting. Yeah, I just think there's so, so, what's the idea to get all the Avengers together?

Right. And how and why is it what's the purpose of it? And do Google Secret Wars when people say, like, it's called Avengers Secret Wars? you're like, what the fuck of Secret Wars? I don't know. I don't know what that is. I'll let those people understand that. I can just go by me and be the barometer of truth.

I'm like, why is this person here? What am I doing here? Just speaking for John Q. Publici over here. What? Yeah. But yeah, I'm always down for it, man. I mean, I think it would be great. It'd be awesome.

I'd love to be with everybody again. But, you know, do they bring back just to your OG or they bring back to 60 people? That's, you know. It's all got to get crowded. You're right. Do you remember what it was like... Yeah, I need Thanos again.

Start snapping. Don't get that snapping again. Do you remember what it was like to watch Endgame and to have the audience think you're going to be the goner and then the pivot to Scarlet? Do you remember that moment in the theater? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I had to survive it.

You should have been you. Like, what do, man? I think to your credit, look, this is like the thing. This is why they get the best actors of the business for these kinds of movies, because in real life, I would imagine you and Scarlett are playing that scene, what, on a green screen in Atlanta. And that is such an emotional, powerful scene. And that's why you get the best in the business.

Do you, like, remember what it was like to shoot that and to kind of sell that kind of drama? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember hanging off the cliff. It was just like, having me in this girdle, right, and having to hang upside down. I really just had to climb up here. And Scarlett was on her knees just so she could, like, be there for, like, an eyeline to do the thing when I'm holding her. It was so not sexy to look at, you know, but on camera It's a good, right guys?

It's a real thing, you know, and that's, you know, that's part of the gig. It's part of those worlds, you know, you've got to really imagine those worlds. You don't teach that in acting. So it's also very exciting for us to watch those movies at the end of because, you know, we really see. Yeah. Because that's, you know, the world's become, you know, very characters in the movie that we just never were a part of. Sure. It's all, like, green screen or very small sets or whatever, you know.

Does the fantasy put? ball league still exists? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I don't have time for this. Again, this is the clarity of purpose now. Yeah, yeah. Gets a little. The draft, I'm like, really going to do a fake NFL draft?

I got to worry about this stuff. I got to do like all this. Rudd is going to do 10 hours of research. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I'm going to be the level of care. Yeah. I don't like, yeah, yeah. I don't need six months of Anthony Mackey's shit talking me.

It's a lot. It's a lot. None of that. Who is the actor and or filmmaker you think you've learned the most from just working with them? Who changed the game for you? Who changed how you approach what you do? Tom did a lot, you know, in the sense, especially with the action stuff. He's the one that really taught me.

I mean, it really moved into because of what he had around him. Heck, the doctor he had at the time, the physical therapist is the one I used in my recovery. Oh, wow. the way he approached the physical aspect to action film right you know so he really changed the game for me there but also changed that narrative I learned my body awareness I really learned how to but this is an instrument it said I'm a train like a professional athlete yeah I had to treat my body as such and secondary muscles train proper and be around these excellent people that can make you better and he put me on this path of my body being an

as an athlete. I always had it as an emotional instrument as an actor. But it shifted into like a real physical presence and power as, because this is my really first action movie, if you will. Yeah. And I had a lot of excellence around me. And so I just took it and ran with it. And that's when I started doing all those, remember the Bourne and all those movies were around.

And it was the first one out of the gate. So I got to take that for Bourne Legacy and for all the Avengers films and for on, on, on, on. So I use that sort of mindset and just perspective of how to treat your body and what to do. It's just a different perspective. And I thought what I thought. I thought, let me just try to make it look good over here. But no, I really just get into it and take it very seriously and, you know, get really good at what we're doing. Because we had excellent mentors and teachers around us. And so that continued. And that changed the game, changed the game how I deal with my body during that accident.

how my connectiveness to my body, my breath, what's working, not working. I'm really attuned to my body, so I didn't panic. Did I hear you say earlier, you've written a book? You're working on a book? Yeah. Connected to the events as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so what are you trying, I mean, hopefully we'll catch up on that one, but what are you trying to convey in that?

It'll be, yeah, just like all things really kind of shared, learned about the life and death and recovery. it's there's a lot of perspectives I got a lot of gifts and cheat codes that I think people were going to want to know people do have a lot of questions

of the how and the dad and all these things so I think I can answer a lot of those questions in it and still I don't think I have answers to anything

to all of them but because I still have questions and I think writing the book I can unpack getting closer to answers of understanding the hows and wise of it all

You know, and the big collective of us in this world and how silly most of the shit is. And just watch Barbarian and have a laugh, guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It really comes down to that. Let's end with the happy second few confused, profoundly random questions for you, Jeremy. Yeah. Do you collect anything? What do you collect?

Oh, good time. I collect good times. I collect a lot of gadgets for my body in recovery. Yeah. Uh-huh. It's like the bionic man back home. Everything that vibrates and heats up and explodes. I got it all.

I got all the toys. What's the wallpaper on your phone? My daughter. Last actor you were mistaken for? Ooh. I don't know. Has it ever happened anymore? I don't know.

It's been a bit a minute. Or if they mistake me for somebody, they didn't tell me. Maybe I signed someone's autograph. It's like, great, who is this? Oh, no. Worse note a director has ever given you. you? Um, anything that was longer than a sentence.

I cut them off. Yeah, just keep it. Yeah. Like, what kind of do you like? If you can't say in a sentence, don't say anything at all. Do you like, kind of like... That means you don't know what the heck you want. You know, you're like, don't over-talk this.

Come on. I'm in the zone. Let's go. So, yeah, I don't, yeah. If they talk too much, then that's a terrible direction, because what's the direction again? Yeah. Are we... Those paragraphs.

Yeah. Is it like practical? faster slightly, is it that kind of thing or is it... Get to what you think of, I can't do in the next take without your direction, because I'm going to give it to you a different, right? So, either be patient or to give it to me in a sentence or ever. One of the two. Is there something that gets under your skin on a set?

Maybe it's something like that, that kind of note. Well, it's only happened once, it's, it's in, I don't like inconsiderate people. It's our selfish behavior, I should say. I don't like selfish behavior and that comes across in inconsiderate people. people who are thing, or it seems inconsiderate, when it affects it's just your world and we're all just living on it. Fucking, that's always going to trigger me.

I'm always going to want to flip a table, like, God damn it, you know. And really, when it affects everybody else, right? And I think it's selfish. And so on a movie set, that can happen and it really stops production. And everyone's got a job and everyone's, you know, can, we all got to work together here, right?

And it's not anyone's show. So as soon as anybody makes, and some kind of move like that or is late and we're all waiting on one. Right? There's a lot of Avengers. There's one we're waiting on. I'm like, ooh, I'm going to let them know. Oh, I let them know.

I'm like, oh, really? Are we waiting on you and you're wig? We're all doing pretty well. Yeah, yeah, like, why come? You're invited. We're all there waiting. Yeah, you shame him into like, yeah, paying attention. Like, yeah, just once.

Just had to do it once. Yeah. And then do you do it in front of people? Do you do it? No, no, no. I mean, most of the time, I would never say anything, right? And just like. At some point, though.

At some point. when it got to it before, like, everyone was kind of mad about it. I'm like, well, fine, I'll be the bold guy and say something. Yeah. And because I'll do it nice, the old man. And it's kind of forceful. It's like, come on, we're doing this. Everyone's waiting.

What are you thinking? Yeah. You know, and I think, you know, and by the way, they didn't even realize they're so up their own ass. Yeah. Right? And I think that's anybody in any situation. If you're at work, if you're on a baseball team, if you're in any group environment,

or if you're even in a relationship, like one person has their head up their ass. It's like, you're going to get an argument or something's going to fail here. Yeah. Right? So I think the more we pay attention to others and not our own selfish needs, we're going to win in life, right? And I think that's, that's happy. A little more empathy for all of us, right? Finally, happy second fuse.

Actor that always makes you happy. Morgan Freeman. Nice. Movie that makes you sad? E.T. Last like 10 minutes. Come on. There's like no dialogue.

It's just, oh, come on. Oh, yeah. I'll be right here. Food that makes you confused. Food? Yeah. Like, something sour. Okay.

It needs sour. It's like sour pickles, sour patch kids, sour anything. Yeah, those are terrible. Why do people eat these things? Sour shit I hate. Yeah, sour shit. Stick with the coconut cake from Tom Cruise. Yes, baby.

Delicious. Save me a slice next year when you get one. I'm dying for it. Honestly, it's so good to catch up and see you in person and see how well you're doing. Congratulations on the new season of Mayor of Kingstown

and let's not make it nine more years for the podcast. Agreed, agreed. And we got tomorrow night too. Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow, buddy. Thanks. Excite about that. Thanks, brother. And so ends another edition of happy, sad,

confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley and I definitely wasn't pressure to do it.

this by Josh. I'm Amy Nicholson, the film critic for the LA Times. And I'm Paul Shear, an actor, writer, and director. You might know me from the league, VEP, or my non-eligible for Academy Award role in Twisters. We love movies, and we come at them from different perspectives. Yeah, like Amy thinks that, you know, Joe Pesci was miscast in Goodfellas, and I don't. He's too old. Let's not forget that Paul thinks that dude too is overrated.

It is. Anyway, despite this, we come together to host Unspooled, a podcast where you talk about good movies, critical hits. Fan favorites, must-season, and case you miss them. We're talking Parasite the Home Alone. From Greece to the Dark Night. We've done deep dives on popcorn flicks. We've talked about why Independence Day deserves a second look. And we've talked about horror movies, some that you've never even heard of like Ganges and Hess.

So if you love movies like we do, come along on our cinematic adventure. Listen to Unspooled wherever you get your podcasts. And don't forget to hit the follow button.