On Friday we got our first look at actor Jeremy Renner on the Prague set of Mission: Impossible 4 filming his first scenes with lead actor Tom Cruise. Today we get to see new photos that show that shizz got seriously serious on the M:I 4 set … Jeremy and Tom had to get in the water to film in the freezing Prague weather:

HMMM … yeah, I’m not sure what the showering situation turned out to be but … you gotta give it up to these guys … I’m certain it is no small feat filming scenes like this when the temps are near freezing. Here’s hoping the guys managed to get warm as quickly as possible after filming … in any way possible.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Yesterday we saw photos of former Lost star Josh Holloway on the Prague set of Mission: Impossible 4 and today we get to see photos of Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner also on the set of M:I 4. Here are photos of Renner‘s first day of filming on set during a night shoot last night with lead star Tom Cruise:

While I like me some Josh Holloway, I’m really looking forward to seeing Jeremy Renner in M:I 4. Tommy boy is never the real draw for me where these movies are concerned but I have to admit, he does a really good job playing the role of super spy Ethan Hunt so … I don’t mind him at all. I’ve been so impressed with Jeremy in everything that I’ve seen (most recently The Town) so I know he’s gonna be great. I believe Mission: Impossible 4 will be in theaters next Summer … I can’t wait to see these boys in action.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Academy Award-nominated actor Jeremy Renner is featured in the new issue of GQ magazine lookin’ gruff, hot and sexy. Jeremy‘s GQ appearance is timed to coincide with the release of the Ben Affleck-directed film The Town which he stars in and attempts to get y’all familiar with his status as “the next big thing”:

“The first one, and the craziest one,” Jeremy Renner is saying, “was Sean Penn. I was backstage at the Palm Springs Film Festival, and it was really dark back there, and he comes over and gets in my face. And he’s like, ‘Dude, you were tremendous in Hurt Locker. You’re going to the afterparty, right? ‘Cause me and you are gonna have a few drinks, and I’m gonna talk to you.’ ” Most of the past year or so of Renner’s life has been about this weird. An invitation to tie one on with one of our finest acting drinkers? Nuts. This sort of thing isn’t supposed to happen. Not to guys like Renner, nearly 40, previously best known for nothing in particular, drawn to parts in movies about tough-sell subjects like Jeffrey Dahmer and the Iraq war. Guys like that aren’t supposed to end up as leading men in films that win Best Picture, let alone at the afterparty with Sean Penn calling them “dude.” But dude—Renner was indeed tremendous in The Hurt Locker, playing Will James, a risk-junkie army explosives expert who “saw a little bit” in Afghanistan, who was broken in ways not immediately apparent. We were supposed to wonder, along with the rest of James’s bomb squad, if his scary calm indicated confidence or craziness; the part demanded an unknown quantity with the self-possession of a veteran. Somebody, in short, like Renner, who’d done fifteen years of quality work under the radar, quietly accumulating the kind of on- and offscreen experience that gives an actor a gravitational pull, becoming scuffed-up enough to be believable as a man who’d seen a little bit … For now, anyway: As the loose-cannon bank robber who guilts Affleck into One Last Score, Renner steals The Town so decisively the performance qualifies as a heist in itself. And he’s set to play the super-archer Hawkeye in Marvel Films’ 2012 crossover-event movie The Avengers. It’s as close to a sure-thing blockbuster as movies get these days, and it will make him as famous as Robert Downey Jr. and/or the Hulk.

The film I remember Renner from pre-Hurt Locker is 28 Weeks Later … and he was great in that film, too. I’m so glad that he is finally getting the recognition that he deserves. I love a story about an actor who’s been working diligently yet under the radar for years and then BAM! over night success. I think I’ll take a pass on seeing Renner in The Town but I am really looking forward to seeing him in The Avengers as Hawkeye. Even tho I can appreciate Renner‘s gritty good looks, I think I’m mostly a fan of his acting prowess. Keep your eye on this one, he’s gonna be huge.

[Photo credit: Nathaniel Goldberg/GQ; Source]

On Friday we learned straight from the horse’s mouth the official confirmation that the amazing Joss Whedon would be directing the big screen adaptation of The Avengers. Today we get to see the full principal cast of the film assembled all together at a panel for the film yesterday at 2010 San Diego Comic-Con. Here is our first look at the assembled cast of The Avengers on stage together yesterday afternoon:

As footage rolled of the Avengers’ logo, a big “A,” we heard Samuel L. Jackson’s voice: “Super heroes came together,” he bellowed, “the day the Avengers were formed.” Then they came out one by one. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson. Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow. Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Chris Evans as Captain America. Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. Mark Ruffallo as The Hulk. Joss Whedon as The Director. Downey calls this film more ambitious than Inception. Joss Whedon had tears in his eyes. He said, “I had a dream all my life and it wasn’t this good.” And 6500 hundred people in Hall H screamed from the very depths of their multiverse-loving souls. The Avengers had assembled. And just like that they were gone. After seeing the footage of Captain America and Thor they had a job to do: to prepare to shoot the greatest comic book movie in the history of time.

You will note that Mark Ruffalo is included in the cast as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, just like we heard he would be. Also included in this photo is Clark Gregg (sandwiched between Robert Downey, Jr. and Scarlett Johansson) who will play Agent Coulson (just like he did in Iron Man and Iron Man 2) and director Joss Whedon. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around the awesomeness assembled in this photo together. With Joss Whedon at the helm, the possibilities are endless for The Avengers to truly be the greatest superhero film of all time. After the jump, check out one more photo of The Avengers cast assembled on stage at Comic-Con yesterday afternoon …

While The Hurt Locker film and lead actor Jeremy Renner were completely shut out of the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards last night, there are very good chances that neither the film nor Renner will be shut out at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards tomorrow night. The Hurt Locker is seen by many (including me) as the front-runner for Best Picture, director Kathryn Bigelow has a serious shot at becoming the first female to win Best Director and Jeremy Renner himself has a great shot at winning Best Actor. Whether or not Renner wins an Oscar tomorrow is irrelevant in the long run because the actor is sure to blow up in a big way in Hollywood as a result of his nomination … but a boy can dream, can’t he?

Jeremy Renner seems surprisingly calm, considering he’s going through a breakup with his girlfriend, moving into a new house he renovated and preparing to attend the Oscars as a best-actor nominee. “I feel like my life was busier before all of this happened,” says Renner, looking relaxed on a recent sunny afternoon in a Led Zeppelin T-shirt and a pair of jeans at a cafe overlooking the Sunset Strip. “I was trying so hard to get awareness for the film. Once that happened, it’s been like a breath of fresh air. I’m just coming down off that high.” After some 15 years in show business, Renner, 39, captured the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with his performance as a risk-taking bomb disposal technician in “The Hurt Locker,” the tense Iraq war drama directed by Kathryn Bigelow, who is also nominated for an Oscar. The film has already won awards from the Producers Guild of America, National Society of Film Critics, Directors Guild of America and British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Renner and Bigelow have been making the rounds on awards shows, spending more time together than they did most days on the set of “The Hurt Locker” in Jordan. “I rarely saw her throughout the day,” Renner says. “The sets were so big, and the cameras were so far away. I would maybe see her once in the daytime. There were days we would see the cameras more if we got into close quarters, but it was so hot and so intense that you just didn’t realize you were shooting a movie half the time.” Renner’s list of credits include “Dahmer” and “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.” He’ll be seen alongside Ben Affleck in the upcoming crime drama “The Town.” His most unsavory role was his first major part: He played a stoner in the comedy “National Lampoon’s Senior Trip.” “I was just proud to be in a film that would play in movie theaters in Modesto,” he says of his California hometown. His schedule is filled with meetings about potential projects, but he’s also developing his own material. “I personally don’t feel any pressure, but people keep asking, `What are you going to do next?’” Renner says. “I don’t know. I’ll find out when it happens. I just want to take this time and savor it before moving on to the next thing.”

I can’t say I’ve been a huge Jeremy Renner fan for long but I deffo loved him in Hurt Locker and I’m pullin’ for him to win (tho, the odds on favorite is Jeff Bridges to win for his work in Crazy Heart). This article doesn’t mention it but Renner was also in 28 Weeks Later, which is the first movie I remember seeing him in. But, as I said, it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses on Sunday (tho winning is better) because his future in Hollywood looks bright!! We are just over 24 hours away from the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. There are bound to be LOTS of smiling faces on the red carpet tomorrow … but in the meantime, you can click HERE to look back on some of the sparkling smiles from the red carpet last year ;)

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Last night, at the Nokia Theater at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, CA, the 25th annual Film Independent’s Spirit Awards were handed out in a fairly lavish ceremony just days before the Academy Awards are handed out in Hollywood. Known as the Indie Oscars, the Spirit Awards annually honor the independent films and filmmakers made in the year prior. This year, the indie film Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire was the big winner, taking home 5 awards — including Best Female Lead, Best Supporting Female, Best Director and Best Feature!!! Now, I should point out that The Hurt Locker was not in contention for Spirit Awards this year due to a glitch in the awards show rules. It was nominated last year, months before the film was ever released … which meant, naturally, that it has no chance of winning because none of the voters had even heard of the film. But, Hurt Locker‘s loss was deffo Precious‘s gain. Here are some photos from the red carpet arrivals and some deets about what went down at the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards last night:

The harrowing drama “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” was the big winner Friday evening at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which was held in a tent on L.A. Live’s event deck in downtown Los Angeles. The film about a pregnant African American teenager and her abusive mother won best feature, best director for Lee Daniels, best first screenplay for Geoffrey Fletcher, best female lead for Gabourey Sidibe and best supporting female for Mo’Nique. Daniels basked in his win away from his fellow Oscar nominees. “Kathryn Bigelow’s not here tonight,” he said. “I am.” “Precious” is nominated for Academy Awards in many of the same categories, with Mo’Nique considered the odds-on favorite to receive best supporting actress Sunday evening at the Kodak Theatre. Mo’Nique’s acceptance speech wasn’t as emotional as some of her other winning speeches this awards season, but she did take a special moment to acknowledge her co-star Sidibe, telling her, “You are a special gift to the universe, baby.” Presenter Ben Stiller, noting the ceremony’s late hour and the independent nature of the assembled crowd, brought half-naked porn stars onstage to writhe in sexual positions while he read the nominees for best film. On Friday, best male lead went to Oscar nominee Jeff Bridges for his moving performance as a dissolute country singer in “Crazy Heart.” The role has won Bridges numerous awards this season, including honors from the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild. Bridges gave a rambling speech in which he thanked many people and told the crowd, ” ‘Crazy Heart’ is a gem of an independent film.” “Crazy Heart,” directed by Scott Cooper, also won the Spirit prize for best first feature. Robert Duvall, who came to the stage with Cooper, told the crowd that the latter hadn’t directed so much as a high school play before this film. “But,” Duvall added, “he does a great job.” Woody Harrelson, also an Oscar contender, won for supporting male for “The Messenger.” Screenplay honors went to Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber for “(500) Days of Summer.” Roger Deakins received the cinematography award for “A Serious Man.” “An Education” won best foreign film, and “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” took documentary honors … The third annual Robert Altman Award, which is given to a film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast, went to Joel and Ethan Coen’s “A Serious Man” … The Spirit Awards, which honor independent and original filmmaking, have traditionally been held on the Saturday afternoon before the Oscars in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. But the show moved to Friday evening at L.A. Live this year in celebration of the awards’ 25th anniversary.

Many, many congrats goes out to Precious … while I’m certain that Mo’Nique will represent the film at the Academy Awards tomorrow night, it’s clear that last night’s Spirit Awards was the film’s biggest night to shine. It’s a shame that The Hurt Locker got shut out due to a set of janky rules (which will, very likely, be amended for next year’s show) but I’m very happy to see Precious enjoy it’s time in the sun. After the jump, check out some photos from the press room and from backstage at the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards last night …

Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals at the 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival Gala which took place at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, CA last night. While we know, for sure, that Mariah Carey was DRUNK off her ass when she appeared on stage at the awards ceremony to collect her award for Breakthrough Actress last night, we cannot be sure she was wasted while on the red carpet … but that would be a good guess. Other attendees included Academy Award-winning actress Marion Cotillard, relative newcomer Jeremy Renner (from The Hurt Locker) and the always amazing Shohreh Aghdashloo:

Awards season got off to a roaring start Tuesday night — not in Hollywood, but a few hours away at the Palm Springs International Film Festival awards gala. Heavy hitters including Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Mariah Carey, Marion Cotillard, Quentin Tarantino and Jason Reitman were honored in the first stop on the road to the Academy Awards. “I’m trying really hard not to cry,” Precious director Lee Daniels said on the red carpet. “How do you make a movie for $2 and end up here? It’s out-of-body right now.” The Hurt Locker’s Jeremy Renner said he’s “dumbfounded” by the awards attention his film is receiving. “I’m still that guy who eats Top Ramen by candlelight — just in better clothes,” he said. And if a fortune teller could have predicted this level of success a year ago, Renner said, he would have told them: “You’re out of your mind!” Up in the Air star Anna Kendrick was equally overwhelmed. “The fact that anybody would want my autograph is amazing,” she said. Ladies swoon over Kendrick’s co-star George Clooney, and Kendrick admits to “building him up so much in your head,” but said “it takes two seconds for him to convince you he’s not someone to be afraid of” … Carey, meanwhile, is still shocked she nabbed a role in Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire. “I read the book Push a long time ago. I was crying for two days because I read the book twice. Never did I think there was a part in (the movie) for me.” Carey urged people to see the film: “Thank God, finally somebody is showing the truth. It’s a tough life for some people,” she said, referencing the film’s main character, a pregnant, poor, illiterate teen. Nine director Rob Marshall had nothing but praise for Cotillard, who stars as film director Guido Contini’s wife. “She’s magic to work with. She’s otherworldly. She’ll have a career forever because she is also a character actor,” he said. “She is that special, and she’s worked very, very hard on her English.” Diablo Cody, who won a best-screenplay Oscar in 2008 for Juno, said she’s happy to be a spectator this awards season: “I always say I’m like Scott Hamilton commenting on the Olympics. It’s a lot less nerve-wracking!” She said she’s proud of Reitman, who directed Juno and is winning raves this season for Up in the Air. “He’s been blowing up as long as I’ve known him,” Cody said. Awards season veteran Morgan Freeman said he’s not excited by awards season anymore. “The most exciting thing about this is meeting old friends. I’m still starstruck!” Entertainment Tonight’s Mary Hart hosted the gala, which kicks off the film festival that will run through Jan. 17.

And so … the awards season is underway. I suspect we’ll be seeing and hearing about this crop of actors as more awards shows/ceremonies take place. I hope Jeremy Renner continues to be honored for his work, he was fantastic in The Hurt Locker. We shall see how the rest of the awards season goes.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin; Source]