Jeremy Renner says he mentored Hailee Steinfeld during Hawkeye's filming. As one of the last original members of the Avengers still standing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Renner's Clint Barton is one of the eldest statesmen around. Marvel Studios never gave Hawkeye a solo movie, though, but amends for that decision are being made in Phase 4 with a Disney+ show. Hawkeye brings Renner back as the sharpshooting Avenger, but it will also introduce his expected MCU replacement: Kate Bishop, played by Steinfeld.
Marvel Studios originally announced Kate Bishop was coming to the MCU back in 2019, but it wasn't until Hawkeye started filming that Hailee Steinfeld was confirmed to be playing her. She was the favorite for the role for months but continued to deny that it was a done deal. Kate's introduction in Hawkeye will portray her as a Hawkeye fangirl, just like the comics, as she meets Clint and causes him all sorts of trouble. Barton will serve as the superhero mentor for Bishop in the Disney+ series, but that wasn't the only mentoring going on during Hawkeye's filming.
In a recent article from EW, Renner revealed some new details about Hawkeye, which drops its first episode on Disney+ on November 24. Filming kicked off in late 2020 and continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic until the Spring of 2021. It was during this long shoot that Renner says he mentored the Bumblebee star during her biggest production yet. He also joined in with other Hawkeye cast members to praise Steinfeld's talents. Read what Renner said below:
That was always my role. Outside of acting in the thing, I was protecting her and giving her the CliffsNotes on how it goes with this kind of filmmaking: Green screen, superhero life, all that stuff. I just wanted to protect her, because there's a lot of physical stuff. She's a wonderful actress, a wonderful human, and I can't wait to see all the cool stuff that she's able to do.
Renner taking Steinfeld under his wing during Hawkeye is not only a nice gesture by him after being part of the MCU for a decade, but it is also something that could help the show itself. Their chemistry and banter will be a core aspect of the series, so having a great rapport and relationship will only help make it feel more real for audiences. It also adds an obvious parallel between Renner and Steinfeld's relationship and the one Clint and Kate will have as mentor and mentee.
The idea of Renner mentoring Steinfeld could also have long-term benefits for the MCU. Steinfeld is already an accomplished actress after receiving an Oscar nomination when she was only 14 years old for True Grit. Despite this and her success with Bumblebee and Apple TV+'s Dickinson, taking on a major role in the MCU is a completely different task. It sounds like Renner did what he could to ensure Steinfeld was prepared throughout Hawkeye and for whatever Kate Bishop's future holds. Now, if Renner's time with the MCU does come to an end soon, at least he shouldn't worry about Steinfeld being more than capable of carrying the Hawkeye mantle forward.
Source: EW