Interview: Jeremy Renner finds his passion in storytelling through acting and music

Jeremy Renner. Photo Courtesy of Paramount+

Two-time Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner chatted about his latest endeavors in acting and music, which included the release of his “Love and Titanium” EP.

Theodore Roosevelt once said: “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” This quote applies to two-time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner.

Song selection approach for the ‘Love and Titanium’ EP

On the song selection process for the album, Renner said, “All the songs were purposeful in the narrative for where I was in my recovery… and that was probably six months after the accident.

“The album showcased different perspectives that came up. ‘Love and Titanium’ was pretty much being on the ice right after the accident, so there were different times and milestones, if you will, that each song kind of represented,” he noted.

“The song ‘Love and Titanium’ came from the Diane [Sawyer] interview, and then we put a song together right after that, and we started working on that in the summer,” he revealed.

Favorite song on the EP: ‘Wait’

“The song ‘Wait’ is one of my favorite songs too because it is so close to me and my daughter,” he admitted.

“All of the songs on this record are very special to me. ‘Wait’ was a very big one because it connected my daughter and me, and it was proof for me that I would get better, and the healing began from there,” he said.

“So, having something special, intimate, and beautiful like that with my daughter was a really proud moment for me,” he added.

“I loved the freedom I had with this EP,” he acknowledged. “I really didn’t care about the style of music. I think the narrative of music was what pulled it all together. There is emotionality to music anyway because it has uniting aspects. I didn’t have to color the inside of the lines so much.”

“One song has a country sort of flair, and another has a rock flair, and that is all fine because music is music. It doesn’t veer too far away, and it still sounds like a similar artist,” he explained.

“I didn’t feel limited to staying within the lines of a certain style in music. There is a lot of freedom in that,” he added.

The digital age

On being an artist in the digital age, Renner said, “I think there is more accessibility, and it makes it simpler to put out music, and there is something easier about it.”

“On the other hand, the market is flooded with a lot of music, and that makes it harder to break through the array of all the music that is being released,” he said.

“While it is hard for new artists to break through, but I think it is encouraging at least for most artists to get their music out there, and it is easier for the music to land in their ears. The digital age today is a double-edged sword,” he added.

“I think it is hard for people to make any sort of living from Spotify… it is a difficult space for songwriters,” he said. “I don’t rely on music for a living; for me, music is more of a form of artistic expression.”

Renner on the resurgence of vinyl

Renner stated that he appreciates the resurgence of vinyl and shared that he really enjoyed putting the vinyl edition of his EP together. “That was so much fun,” he admitted.

Advice for young and aspiring entertainers

For young and aspiring actors and singers, Renner said, “Stick to your guns. While the opinions of others are interesting, your own opinion is the most valuable one.”

“Believing in yourself is the most important thing,” he underscored. “If you don’t believe what you are doing as an actor, then how would you expect the people watching you to believe you.”

“Believing in yourself is probably the most important asset any young actor can have,” he added.

Renner’s dream female duet choices in music

Renner listed Pink as his dream female duet choice in music. “I’ve always wanted to do something with my girl Pink (Alecia). She has always been on my list, and she is a good friend,” he said.

He also praised Brandi Carlile for being absolutely “amazing.” “I just love her voice. Brandi is just incredible,” he exclaimed. “Sia is awesome and a great songwriter too.”

Favorite motto to live by

On his favorite motto to live by, he revealed, “Don’t forget to breathe.”

Best advice that he was ever given

Renner shared the best advice that he was ever given, and that derived from his dad: “Go fail, son.”

“I had my father encourage me to go fail,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s how I went and found acting, and after that, I found a lot of great successes as a result of how I respond to failures.”

Career-defining moments

Throughout his respected career in the entertainment industry, he acknowledged that there have been a “laundry list” of career-defining moments, and rightfully so.

“Doing Dahmer back in 2002 was a big milestone, and the same holds true for ‘The Hurt Locker,’ he said.

“My first job was a pretty defining moment because I went down to Los Angeles to achieve three goals, so that was pretty cool,” he recalled.

“Also, getting fired from an ABC show was a defining moment,” he reflected. “Those are pretty big ones.”

He earned a “Best Actor” Oscar nomination for “The Hurt Locker” in 2010, and the following year, he was nominated for “Best Supporting Actor” for his acting work in “The Town.”

Renner also played Clint Barton (Hawkeye) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which include “The Avengers” and in the Disney+ miniseries “Hawkeye.”

Working with Stacy Keach in ‘The Bourne Legacy’

Renner had great words about working with veteran actor Stacy Keach in “The Bourne Legacy,” which was directed by Tony Gilroy. “Stacy was awesome to work with,” he recalled.

Season 3 of ‘Mayor of Kingstown’

Season 3 of the crime thriller series “Mayor of Kingstown” will be available for streaming on June 2, exclusively on Paramount+.

The synopsis of the third season is: A series of explosions rock Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob sets up shop in the city, and a drug war rages inside and outside prison walls.

The pressure is on Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner) to end the war but things get complicated when a familiar face from his incarcerated past threatens to undermine the Mayor’s attempts to keep the peace among all factions.

“We just finished Season 3, and it is looking great. It will probably be our best season yet,” he said.

Renner on playing Mike McLusky

On portraying protagonist Mike McLusky, he said, “When you play a character for three seasons, something is going right yet there is still room to grow. There is a lot of depth to my character.”

“I like how brutally honest and pragmatic he is. I think we find a little bit more sentimentality to him this year. Also, the growth of the relationships with all the main players of the show,” he acknowledged.

Renner on Taylor Handley as his on-screen younger brother

Renner also had kind words about his co-star Taylor Handley, who plays his younger brother, Kyle McLusky, on the show. “I love Taylor; he is great,” Renner exclaimed.

Stage of his life

On the title of the current chapter of his life, he responded, “It really is coming down into a book, and my next breath. I am unpacking the experiences of a near-death experience, and all the things I learned, and I want to share that.”

Gratitude for his fans and supporters

“My fans are the best,” he exclaimed. “I love them, they’ve made the recovery even more achievable with all of their love and support. It is pretty amazing… the fans are very loyal and just incredible,” he said, effusively.

Success

Regarding his definition of the word success, Renner said, “Success quiets the insecure mind or maybe the anxious artist’s mind. Success seems to quiet that.”

Legendary runner Steve Prefontaine once said: “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” This quote sums up Jeremy Renner. His career in entertainment, life story, and indomitable spirit is an inspiration to us all.

Following his life-threatening snowplow accident, Renner was able to use his creativity in a positive and refreshing manner, and he made his “Love and Titanium” EP, where he is able to tug at the heartstrings; moreover, the EP stands out sonically, lyrically, and vocally.

With “Love and Titanium,” Renner is not afraid to be raw, honest, and vulnerable, and in the end, his vulnerability is the listener’s reward. Renner has both the heart of a fighter and a champion.

Renner’s message for his fans and supporters about ‘Love and Titanium’

“I hope this album takes the fans on an audio movie,” Renner said. “I hope it takes them on a ride from song to song. The EP is arranged in this specific order for a reason.”

“The EP is meant to be a 25-minute little movie, if you will… That’s why the last song is ‘Survive’ because that’s the outcome of what the incident was about,” he said.

“Hopefully, it will take the fans on an emotional journey… that was the intention,” he concluded.

His “Love and Titanium” EP is available on digital service providers by clicking here.

To learn more about actor and musician Jeremy Renner, follow him on Instagram, X, and Facebook.