NEED TO KNOW
- Robert Downey Jr. gave his friend and former castmate’s new book My Next Breath a great review
- “Reading Renner’s book and feeling stronger already … what a journey to wisdom,” Downey Jr. wrote
- The two actors co-starred on a number of films together, starting with the first Avengers movie in 2012 to the last, Avengers: Endgame, in 2019
Robert Downey Jr. is giving his old Marvel castmate’s book a shoutout!
The actor, 60, shared a photo himself reading Jeremy Renner‘s new book, My Next Breath, which hit shelves on April 29 and is now a New York Times bestseller. Holding his former co-star’s novel open with his right arm and flexing for the camera with his left, Downey Jr. praised Renner’s writing, which contains a candid account of his 2023 near-fatal snowplow accident and what learned from his recovery.
“Reading Renner’s book and feeling stronger already … what a journey to wisdom,” Downey Jr. wrote in the post’s caption. “Very instructive … a must read!”
On New Year’s Day in 2023, Renner was helping a family member get to a stuck vehicle in Reno, Nevada — which received roughly 3 feet of snowfall the previous night — when he was run over by a 14,300-lb. snowplow.
Renner was swiftly transported to the hospital, where he was “in critical but stable condition,” according to Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. The next day, he underwent surgery, and his representative told PEOPLE he had sustained “blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries” from the incident.
Kevin Winter/Getty
“Jeremy writes in blistering detail about his accident and the aftermath,” the book’s synopsis reads. “This retelling is not merely a gruesome account of what happened to him; it’s a call to action and a forged companionship between reader and author as Jeremy recounts his recovery journey and reflects on the impact of his suffering.”
Downey Jr. and Renner have co-starred on a number of Marvel movies — playing Iron Man and Hawkeye (two of the first Avengers), respectively — starting with the first Avengers film in 2012 to Avengers: Endgame in 2019.
Last year, Renner told PEOPLE about his touching conversations with Downey Jr. as he recovered in the ICU.
“We ended up having really great chats on FaceTime, like we were dating or something,” Renner said. He added of Downey Jr., “He’s like, ‘Dude, the most important thing is you look good. I don’t care how you feel, as long as you look good that’s all that matters.”
My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner is on sale now, wherever books are sold.
