Jeremy Renner reflects on career after near-fatal crash

Jeremy Renner has revealed that he seriously considered stepping away from acting following his near-fatal snowplow accident in January 2023, admitting that the road to recovery continues to shape both his personal life and career choices.

The actor, known for his role in The Mayor of Kingston and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, suffered more than 30 broken bones, a lacerated liver and a collapsed lung after being run over by a snowplow.

While he has since returned to work, Renner says the experience fundamentally altered how he views his future in Hollywood.

Speaking to Fox News Digital, the 55-year-old reflected on the emotional toll of his recovery.

“I mean, I’ll be in recovery for the rest of my life,” he said. “I almost didn’t want to go back into acting because I had to focus so much on real life. Nonfiction kind of stuff. To go into fiction was a little difficult, but I’m glad I’m back doing it.”

Renner added that the accident pushed him to simplify his lifestyle and focus more deeply on health and family. He shares his daughter Ava, 13, with ex-wife Sonni Pacheco.

“Be with my family, get better every day and do acts of service and give to others as much and best as I can,” he said, describing how his priorities have shifted since the incident.

The actor also spoke about ongoing treatments and rehabilitation methods he continues to explore, including red light therapy and oxygen therapy, alongside peptide-based treatments aimed at recovery support.

“There are a lot of great things we’re progressing in it,” Renner explained. “These are just life things as we age, but they’re also very key to my recovery from tissue damage… and also a positive mindset.”

Renner previously credited mental resilience as a major factor in his survival and recovery. In an earlier interview with The Guardian, he said determination played a crucial role in pushing through the aftermath of the accident.

“I was bullying my body into thinking it wasn’t that bad,” he said. “My mind was saying, ‘I don’t want to lose this battle.’ But deeper than that, I had so much to live for.”

Despite the challenges, Renner said returning to acting has given him renewed perspective, even if the experience of stepping back into fictional storytelling initially felt difficult after surviving something so real.