Jeremy Renner attributes his comeback to ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ for aiding in his recuperation following a perilous snowplow mishap

For Jeremy Renner, resuming work on his Paramount+ series Mayor of Kingstown following a severe snowplow incident in January 2023 was a crucial element of his convalescence — quite literally.

“I was aware of the demands it places on you, even when you’re in top shape,” he expressed to Yahoo Entertainment regarding his dual role as lead actor and executive producer on the show, which debuts its third season on June 2. “I might manage to walk 100 yards normally. But what about my stamina? It was terrible.”

On the first day of 2023, the 53-year-old Mayor of Kingstown lead, famed for his role as Hawkeye in the Marvel Avengers series, was struck by his 14,000-pound snowplow at his Nevada residence.

Renner was flown to a medical facility and endured an array of injuries including multiple fractures, thoracic trauma, and a punctured lung. Merely standing on his own was destined to be an arduous journey.

Following an entire year of rigorous physical therapy and recuperation, the Academy Award-nominated performer and single father commenced filming the Kingstown crime saga, which portrays a Michigan-based clan of power brokers who negotiate among the community’s penitentiary, the police, and criminal organizations.

Contemplating “How do I make a comeback” one year subsequent to his mishap, Renner recognized the production itself could act as an incentive.

“Stepping beyond the front gate was this for me,” he asserted. “Cease focusing solely on recovery and embrace life, partake in life events. And let that be integrated into the healing process.”

In January 2024, Renner re-engaged with the production team and is set to unveil Season 3 only five months down the line. He acknowledges the contribution of the drama and his dedication to the character Mike McLusky, the titular mayor, in advancing his road to recovery.

“You gotta just remove the adhesive strip… and plunge into it”

While he admits that participating in the program is labor-intensive, and he bears a significant load, Renner also remarked on the extensive backing he has received from his squad.

“There were numerous individuals assisting, heeding my body as attentively as I monitored it. And as a collective, we overcame it,” he explained.

“You have to rip off that adhesive strip, right, and just commit,” he advocated. “Like with anything of significance, you must be brave enough. What am I to do, just resign to failure?”

Defeat was not a consideration for Renner. He was cognizant that the series — and its continued existence — implicated more individuals than merely himself.

“That would leave everyone unemployed. That’s dreadful,” he mentioned. “And we weren’t about to let that occur, particularly considering the extended hiatus many experienced due to the strikes — the screenwriters’ and actors’ protests — leaving numerous individuals jobless for an extended time. So ensuring employment for others also held great importance to me — along with regaining my own mobility.”

A “reliable refuge”

The series, deemed “bleak” by analysts, doesn’t evade portraying brutality.

“I’d concur,” Renner acknowledged. “I favor darkness. My concern, though, always lies with providing a respite for our spectators, a chance to detach momentarily from the turmoil — the mortality, devastation, blazes, detonations, all of it, right? Offer us more reasons to become attached, to nurture greater affection for our characters or to empathize more deeply with our principal figures. In Season 3, there’s an abundance of it.”

So, what is Renner’s current state of wellbeing?

“Feeling robust, feeling joyful,” he conveyed, “and honored.”

Mayor of Kingstown Season 3 is set to be available for streaming on Paramount+ starting June 2.