Since at least 2008’s The Hurt Locker, Jeremy Renner has been celebrated for physical, in-your-face action-movie acting. He’s an Avenger. He ran from zombies in 28 Weeks Later. He did turns in the Bourne and Mission: Impossible franchises.
But Renner doesn’t remotely mince words about how he’s been moving since early 2023, when he was crushed by a snow plow at his home in Nevada. Multiple surgeries followed, a significant amount of metal is now bracing his body, and the recovery is ongoing. During his rehab work, he has turned outward, sharing on his Instagram account. It was these posts—and the footwear in them—that caught the attention of the hardcore running brand Brooks, and Renner is now is a face for the company.
He caught up with GQ about running, stretching, and the other ways that he’s taking care of his body.
For Real-Life Diet, GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and other high performers about their diet, exercise routines, and pursuit of wellness. Keep in mind that what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.
GQ: Longtime fans of your work associate you with muscular roles: the Bournes, the Avengers, the Mission: Impossibles. But with this Brooks partnership—a hardcore running brand—we’ve got to ask, are you a runner now?
Jeremy Renner: Newly. (Laughs.) I’ve never been a hardcore runner, in the sense of distance. I’m mostly a sprinter, a short-distance guy. Like, a mile. But it’s the movement, for me, the agility. It’s important to move for the strengthening of my tendons in my ankles, all my joints. To me, it’s part of what my life is. It’s that idea that I need to be able to move and get out and do stuff.
Judging from the Brooks video, it seems like hill sprints are a huge part of it.
Yeah, I’m more of a hill sprint guy. It’s easier on my joints, with gravity not smashing down. If anybody has a bum knee, you know what I’m talking about. I have six joints all relearning how to move. So running uphill has been the better thing for me.
How did the partnership come about?
It was pretty natural. I was sharing some progress reports of my recovery. People were finding it helpful, and I also found it helpful to share. Brooks reached out, and they thought their shoes might help. So they sent me a pair of the Ghost Max. I had them around a while, walking around the house, but one day, after I started training, I put them on and ran up and down my driveway. That was the first time I’d tried to run since the accident. I thought, wow, this isn’t so bad. I posted that, and from there, the partnership started to form. It’s such a natural meeting. It feels like I’ve got a lot of support—emotionally and on my joints. (Laughs.)
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