EXCLUSIVE: Jeremy Renner Cruelly Trolled Over 'Deformed Face' in New 'Knives Out' Movie After Miracle Snowplow Accident Recovery
Jeremy Renner is being mocked over his looks following his snowplow accident.
Jan. 1 2026, Published 1:40 p.m. ET
Jeremy Renner is facing a wave of warped trolling over his appearance in the new Knives Out film Wake Up Dead Man, with fans comparing his looks to the deformed version of Tom Cruise's crash-survivor character in Vanilla Sky and focusing on the scarring and facial movements resulting from the action star's 2023 snowplow accident.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Renner suffered a near-fatal crash on 1 January 2023, sustaining 38 broken bones and describing how he briefly "died" and was able to see his own eyeball due to the severity of his injuries.
Cruel Comparisons Surface Online
Renner returned to the big screen in 'Wake Up Dead Man' after his near-fatal 2023 accident.
Wake Up Dead Man marks the actor's first major film since the accident, and the production has been closely watched both for his performance and for how he has adapted to his injuries on set.
A source familiar with the film said, "Fans are definitely noticing how Jeremy's face moves differently after the accident, and some are cruelly comparing him to Tom Cruise's character in Vanilla Sky. They're zeroing in on the scars and the changes in his expressions in certain scenes, and sharing zoomed-in stills online to mock him. It's unfair, but that's the kind of trolling he is being subjected to, just for miraculously surviving his accident."
Another insider added, "He's been through so much physically, but he came back ready to work. People forget how intense that recovery was, and these trolls clearly have no idea how cruel they are being."
'They All Embraced Each Other'
Josh Brolin portrays monsignor Jefferson Wicks in 'Wake Up Dead Man' and reunited with Renner on set.
Director Rian Johnson, 52, recently spoke about the experience of working with Renner following his injuries, heaping praise on the actor.
He said, "I mean, the rest of the actors really were an incredible community on this set. That's been the case for all three of these films; we got really lucky with the groups of actors. They all just embraced and supported each other; it was really cool to see."
Johnson added, "Everybody was really wonderful to Jeremy. He showed up and was wonderful right back because he was ready to work, and he was just so funny."
Wake Up Dead Man focuses on Daniel Craig's maverick detective character Benoit Blanc investigating the murder of monsignor Jefferson Wicks, played by Josh Brolin.
Social media reactions were swift after the release of the threequel, with many users commenting on how Renner's facial scarring seems to affect his expressions in dramatic sequences.
Social media users focused on Renner’s changed expressions instead of his performance
An entertainment industry source said, "Fans have been really zeroing in on the changes in Jeremy's facial expressions, which is unfairly taking attention away from his performance. Still, the cast and crew have been hugely supportive throughout."
Another insider added, "Despite the trolling and comparisons, Jeremy's focus is still on rebuilding his career and life. He's worked incredibly hard to get back to this point, and the cast of Knives Out rallied around him every step of the way."
In addition to his accident, Renner has faced the controversy that erupted after his former business partner, Yi Zhou, accused him of harassment, which he and his lawyers have strongly denied.
Despite these challenges, insiders say Renner remained professional on the Knives Out set.
The Future of the Franchise
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Renner pushed through trolling and controversy to make his first major film since the crash.
Wake Up Dead Man premiered in November, and despite the success of the franchise, Johnson has insisted he is now enthused about making a "straight-up thriller" as his next project.
Fans on social media have speculated about increasingly outlandish concepts for the future of the Knives Out franchise, including a Muppet version of the whodunnit.
Johnson has now dismissed the ideas, saying: "I really have so much respect for what Muppet movies are, having grown up with them, and the truth is what makes a Muppet movie tick is fundamentally different than what makes a Benoit Blanc mystery tick.
"You have to make a Muppet movie, but Benoit Blanc is somehow in it, in which case that takes Blanc out of the reality we're building. If you had an actual Benoit Blanc mystery and it had Muppets, it would feel wrong because there'd be actual murder happening in it... It would feel wrong for The Muppets."
