The actor widely known for Hawkeye is super versatile and deserves recognition for other complicated characters he has played over the years

January 7 marks the birthday of Jeremy Renner, the Hollywood actor who is widely known for his portrayal of the superhero ‘Hawkeye’ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There is no doubt that no other actor can match Renner’s aura when it comes to playing Hawkeye. However, it must also be acknowledged that Renner has never been credited enough for other complicated roles he has nailed over the years.

As the actor turns 55 this year, we take a look at four roles played by Renner that deserve more recognition.

Hurt Locker

The film revolves around the life of Sergeant First Class William James, played by Renner, who is b*mb diffuser operating during the Ir*q conflict. Renner is portrayed as a cold, yet reckless, operative who often disregards his seniors' orders but executes every mission meticulously. Despite being cold, the character has an emotional side, which he suppresses because of the job’s nature—traits that are often found in real-life soldiers who have served in problematic regions.

The Town

Renner plays a side character in The Town, a plot that revolves around a gang of r*bbers and for Renner’s character, Jem, who is a hothead, life is nothing without the high of r*bbing banks. However, the hothead is also a true friend who always stands by his best friend, played by Ben Affleck. Renner portrays how real human characters are: flawed on one side, perfect on the other.

Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol

Mission: Impossible is a Tom Cruise franchise, but in the fourth part, i.e., Ghost Protocol, released in 2011, Renner makes his debut in the universe as William Brandt. While the movies are all about action sequences and saving the world, Renner’s character was shown battling himself because of guilt—the guilt of not being able to save Ethan Hunt’s (Tom Cruise) wife. Fortunately, for Renner’s character, that was not the case, as the truth was clarified by Ethan Hunt to Brandt. In over two decades, Brandt’s character was the only side character that gave strong competition to Ethan Hunt’s presence.

Dahmer

In 2022, actor Evan Peters was widely praised for his portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer on Netflix’s Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Series. However, 24 years ago, Dahmer’s life was brought to the silver screen by Renner in what was only his fifth film. It is hard to compare the portrayal of Dahmer by Peters and Renner, but in some aspects, Renner’s portrayal of Dahmer was more terrifying.

As the actor turns 55 this year, we look forward to Wind River: Frozen Silence or Frozen Truth, a sequel to his other great flick, Wind River, and also hope he will return as Hawkeye in Avengers: Doomsday, but at the moment, there’s no confirmation about the reprisal of the role.