Jeremy Renner opens up about filming 'Mayor of Kingstown' season 3 after near-fatal accident

"Filming was unlike anything I'd felt before," says Renner, revealing the challenges behind the scenes.

In a candid interview with ET, Jeremy Renner revealed the emotional turmoil he experienced while shooting Mayor of Kingstown season 3, despite the production team's efforts to accommodate his recovery from a near-fatal accident.

"It was something unlike I really felt before, I was in a place of self-doubt," Renner shared with ET. 

"I was nervous I wouldn't be able to perform just basic duties like walking." Recalling his initial concerns, he said, "'I don't know if I'm physically capable of -- 'cause you know, it's 12 hours, 14 hours on a set. Whether you're doing stunts or not, it's exhausting.'"

According to Renner, filming for the highly anticipated third season began on the "one year anniversary of his accident," further intensifying his emotions. 

He elaborated on the emotional toll, "That doesn't feel very good, doesn't make me feel confident 'cause I'm not confident in my body, my ability, right? So I wasn't quite there yet," he said.

The accident not only impacted the filming schedule, according to Renner - who recently told ET he'd be happy to reprise his role as Hawkeye - it also influenced his portrayal of Mike McClusky. "I inserted a lot of what I was feeling into that moment," Renner said. 

He explained how his character has "a bit more delicacy to him this season because of [being] forced to be informed by my condition." This resulted in more "intimate" and "delicate" scenes with his castmates throughout season 3.

'Mayor of Kingstown' follows the McLusky family, who hold considerable power in Kingstown, Michigan, a town where "the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry," according to Paramount+. 

In the new season, Renner's character, Mike McClusky, is determined to quell a drug war raging inside and outside the prison walls, all while striving to keep the city and its residents safe.

While the shooting schedule was adjusted to accommodate Renner's recovery - with him jokingly remarking, "At the end [of shooting the season], it was scheduling me more like a 14-year-old, so like, you know, certain amount of hours, more breaks and that kind of stuff" - the impact of the accident goes beyond logistics.

Renner revealed he was able to channel his real-life experiences into his performance, giving Mike McClusky a newfound depth.

'Mayor of Kingstown' - also starring Dianne Wiest, Hugh Dillon, Emma Laird and Kyle Chandler - premieres on Paramount+ on June 2nd.