Will Sage Astor-Jeremy Renner Makes Rare Appearance at 2024 People's Choice Awards After Past Year's "Heck of a Journey"

Assemble and Will Sage Astorsee Jeremy Renner at the 2024 People's Choice Awards. 

The Avengers actor made a rare public appearance at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif., on Feb. 18, a little more than a year after his snowplow accident. And as he walked out onto the stage to present the first award of the evening, he reflected on what the past 13 months have been like. 

"I gotta say it feels good to be back," Renner told the crowd. "This year's been a heck of a journey, and I'm happy to be here with you the fans. You guys are the best."

And his MCU family members gave him a super welcome. PCAs Host and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' Simu Liu introduced Renner as his "fellow Marvel man," and Loki's Tom Hiddleston gave the Hawkeye star a standing ovation (see more celeb attendees here).

Renner presented the honor for TV Performance of the Year—with the honor going to Billie Eilish for her work in Swarm. The Bear's Ayo Edebiri, The Morning Show's Jon Hamm, Fellow Travelers' Matt Bomer, Only Murders in the Building's Meryl Streep, Beef's Steven Yuen, The Last of Us' Storm Reid and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story's Adjoa Andoh rounded out the nominees in the category (to see the full list of winners so far, click here).

Renner was run over by a snowplow in Nevada on New Year's Day in 2023. According to a report by the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, The Hurt Locker alum been using a PistenBully to tow a truck that had gotten stuck on his driveway onto a nearby street. And after completing the job and disconnecting the vehicles, the report continued, Renner drove the snowplow up the street, turned it around and discovered it was sliding. 

Not wanting the machine to hit his nephew Alex Fries—who had been helping him with the job—Renner exited the PistenBully without setting the emergency brake, the report noted, and was ultimately "pulled under the vehicle by the track."

The 53-year-old was transported by care flight to a hospital in Reno and underwent surgery—with him later sharing with his fans he'd broken more than 30 bones.

Throughout his healing journey, Renner kept fans updated on his progress and thanked them for their support.

"I have been exploring EVERY type of therapy since Jan 14th…everyday, countless hours of physical therapy, peptide injections, iv drips and pushes, stem cell and exosomes, red light / IR therapy, hyperbaric chamber 2.0 atmospheres, cold plunge, and the list goes on and on….," he wrote on Instagram in November. "My greatest therapy has been my mind and the will to be here and push to recover and be better…. Be exceptional…"

"I feel it's my duty to do so," Renner—who made his first return to the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of his show Rennervations in April—continued. "Not to squander my life being spared, but to give back to my family, friends, and all of you whom have empowered me to endure . I thank you all. #loveandtitanium." 

To see more stars at the People's Choice Awards, keep reading.  

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