Jeremy Renner: The Anti-Taylor Swift

I know most of you couldn’t care less about Jeremy Renner, but he’s starting to get right up there with Gerard Butler as far my imaginary boyfriends go. And this video (below) just added to my undying affection for this kid. The backstory is that Renner, Anthony Mackie and Kathryn Bigelow were scheduled to be interviewed together (for The Hurt Locker) on the Today Show, right after the Oscar nominations were announced. Some smart producer kept the camera (not live) on Renner before the interview started, just as Renner was watching his name being announced for the Best Actor Oscar. The look on his face is truly adorable – he looks like a little kid for a second, and he and Mackie share a huge, manly bear hug. It’s lovely:

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New York Magazine is calling this Jeremy’s “Anti-Taylor Swift moment” because they describe his reaction as a “genuine moment of human emotion.” I agree that he was genuine – but I tend to think Taylor is too. Whatever:

In the wake of Taylor Swift’s phony, faux-shocked, “What, me?” reactions during her numerous acceptance speeches, it’s good to be reminded that genuine moments of human emotion still exist in Hollywood.

While there weren’t many surprises to come out of this morning’s Oscar nominations, Jeremy Renner just so happened to be on the set of the Today show when he got the news that he had scored his first Academy Award nomination in the prestigious category of Best Actor. Cameras were rolling as a clearly thrilled Renner launched into an impromptu bear hug with co-star Anthony Mackie, reminding us that not everyone is as jaded about this Oscar race as it may seem.

[From New York Magazine]

I love the underdog stories of the Oscars. That is, until the underdogs start engaging in some cut-throat Oscar campaign that makes me feel queasy. But I don’t think Renner will do that. He seems like the kind of guy who would be very happy just having received the nomination. Once he got off the Today set, he released this statement about his nom: “This is more exhilarating than I could have ever imagined. What a tremendous honor from the academy – a blazing stamp in the passport of an artist that can never be taken away and will always be cherished.” Aw…

Jeremy Renner at the DGAs on January 30, 2010. Credit: Juan Rico/Fame Pictures.

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