Jeremy Renner spills how ‘Knives Out’ 3 cast helped him heal after near-death accident: ‘It’s lovely to...’
Jeremy Renner’s journey back to the big screen has been nothing short of remarkable. The Oscar-nominated actor survived a life-threatening accident in early 2023, when his 14,000-pound snowplow crushed him as he attempted to protect his nephew. After dozens of broken bones, multiple surgeries, and months of grueling rehabilitation, Renner has now returned to work. And he says his first project back, ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,’ gave him the community and support he needed to heal both physically and emotionally. Speaking at Variety’s TIFF Studio during the Toronto International Film Festival alongside his co-stars, Renner reflected on how much the ensemble cast helped him feel welcomed back into the craft he loves.
View this post on Instagram
“It’s a lot of support, man,” Renner explained. “It’s lovely to have it. There’s such a communion and camaraderie that happens, especially on a movie like this. This is not even really a movie to me; it’s more like a stage play. We’re always together, we’re always in each other’s faces, even when we’re acting. When you have 15 people on a camera, you spend a lot of time with them. It reminds me of doing a play. It feels good to be back and welcomed back to the job that I love, with really great people.” Renner joins a powerhouse lineup in the third installment of Rian Johnson’s hit mystery franchise.
View this post on Instagram
Returning as detective Benoit Blanc is Daniel Craig, whose eccentric sleuth has become the heart of the series. The star-studded ensemble also includes Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Josh O’Connor, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. With so many well-known faces sharing the screen, Renner likened the experience to performing in a theater production. It’s something that, he said, created a special sense of togetherness after his time away from Hollywood. Renner’s accident in January 2023 shocked fans worldwide. The Marvel actor was left in critical condition after the snowplow accident.
As per BBC, he later revealed he had suffered more than 30 broken bones and required months of physical therapy to walk again. His openness about his recovery inspired many, and his return to a demanding film set just over a year later shows the depth of his determination. The actor noted that being surrounded by such a collaborative cast made the transition back to work easier. Meanwhile, ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ marks the third chapter in Johnson’s acclaimed whodunit series. Like its predecessors, the film was both written and directed by Johnson, who also serves as a producer.
The movie made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6 before launching worldwide on Netflix on December 12. The previous two installments, ‘Knives Out’ (2019) and ‘Glass Onion’ (2022), were critical and commercial successes. They established Johnson as a modern master of the murder mystery. For Renner, the project represents more than just another acting credit. His comments at TIFF highlight how the bonds forged on set helped him feel grounded after one of the most harrowing chapters of his life. As he put it, ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ wasn’t just a film. It was, in many ways, the performance that brought him back to himself.
