On Tuesday night, Jeremy Renner walked his first red carpet since his near-fatal snow plow accident.
The “Avengers” actor was on hand at the premiere of “Rennervations,” his new Disney+ reality series about renovating used vehicles for underserved communities around the world. The event was held at the Westwood Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles.
Using a cane, Renner arrived on the carpet at around 6 p.m., appearing alongside his family for photographs. After walking for a bit, the actor then took to a motorized scooter to assist him through press interviews.
Renner said he was determined to keep the “Rennervations” premiere on track, even as he was recovering from his injuries.
“I was really adamant about them not pushing this thing while there was momentum with the brass at Disney, with us, with the timing of it in all of our lives. It just felt right,” Renner told Variety. “I look a little beat up right now, but I promise you this show is what’s propelling me to get better and makes me want to get better every day. I set out a goal to be walking this carpet. And here I am enjoying it. Otherwise it would have gone to an abyss with no date and lost traction and excitement and I would have been very, very, very frustrated. I’m very excited right now because we’re here.”
Renner suffered life-threatening injuries when he was run over by his 14,330-pound Sno-Cat on New Year’s Day after trying to jump back into the vehicle to prevent it from hitting his nephew.
“Rennervations” executive producer Romilda de Luca shared that she visited the hospital to see Renner after the accident.
“When I saw him, it was the hardest thing,” De Luca told Variety at the premiere. “I knew right there he was going to be okay.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger also made an appearance during the premiere to support Renner. The pair of them chatted for a few minutes before posing for photographs on the blue carpet.
Bob Iger and Jeremy Renner at the premiere of “Rennervations”
Variety via Getty Images
Following the screening of the premiere, Jimmy Kimmel hosted a Q&A with Renner and others from the show. The audience inside the theater gave him a standing ovation as he rode his scooter up to his chair.
“My mom wants to light it on fire and have a big old party,” the actor shared about the Snowcat that injured him, noting that it’s very necessary to get around on the property. “The thing’s amazing, I love the thing… I just have to learn to drive it better.”
At one point during the discussion, he got emotional, thanking his friends and family for how much they’ve helped him recover — and sharing how important the show has been to his heath.
“It takes a lot of people. It starts with my family and my daughter. Then a big part of my recovery was this show,” said Renner. “It set a big milestone for me to get better, to make sure all of this hard work was not all for nothing. I mean, running my damn self over, right? I had a lot of love, man.”
After the Q&A, Renner joined the reception outside, first using his scooter to get around before changing to his cane and hugging his loved ones.
Jeremy Renner and family attend the world premiere event for the Disney+ original series “Rennervations.”
Getty Images for Disney+
Earlier this month, Renner gave his first post-accident interview, speaking with Diane Sawyer for ABC News.
“I just happened to be the dummy standing on the dang track a little bit, seeing if my nephew was there,” he said. “You shouldn’t be outside the vehicle when you’re operating it. It’s like driving a car with one foot out of the car… But it is what it was. And it’s my mistake, and I paid for it.”
Renner’s neighbors called 911 before trying to keep the actor alive as they waited 21 minutes for paramedics to trek through snowy conditions. Sawyer said during her ABC News special that Renner had told her he would like to be able to walk for his first red carpet following the accident and his recovery.
Just last Friday, Renner posted a photo of him and his family on Instagram visiting Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, Calif. The photo shows Renner leaning against a pole while using a cane. A motorized scooter is seen off to the side.
Renner also appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Monday. He received a standing ovation when he walked onto the stage with the help of a cane. He even did a little dance before sitting down with Kimmel.
