The Dark Side Of Jeremy Renner's Marriage With Ex-Wife, Sonni Pacheco
Marvel star Jeremy Renner and ex-wife Sonni Pacheco's relationship was brief, private, and tumultuous. The couple was married for less than a year from 2014 to 2015, during which they had their only child together, a daughter named Ava. But according to court documents and various statements by either party, the couple's short 10 months together was turbulent at best and, at worst, shockingly violent — and unfortunately, Ava was caught in the middle of it all.
TMZ reported on legal documents about Renner and Pacheco's bitter custody battle in 2019, which included disturbing claims against the "Hawkeye" actor by his ex-wife. Pacheco accused Renner of a multitude of misdoings, including verbal, physical, and emotional abuse against Pacheco and physical and sexual abuse of their young daughter. Renner and his legal team have denied Pacheco's allegations.
Otherwise, the actor has remained relatively tight-lipped on the whole situation. In a 2021 interview with Men's Health, Renner said, "I don't respond publicly or privately to nonsense. It only empowers it. I don't fuel s*** fires. I just don't do it. I refuse to."
The shocking allegations made by Jeremy Renner's ex-wife, Sonni Pacheco
Jeremy Renner and Sonni Pacheco's tempestuous relationship reached a boiling point amid a custody battle over their young daughter, Ava, causing both parents to sling insults and accusations at the other. In addition to the overarching allegations of abuse by Renner, Pacheco claims the "American Hustle" actor once threatened to kill her while intoxicated. She also accused Renner of placing a gun in his mouth and threatening to kill himself before firing a gun into their ceiling while Ava was home and asleep in her bedroom, per the Los Angeles Times.
Pacheco told the Los Angeles County Superior Court that Renner had a substance abuse problem that resulted in him leaving illicit drugs like cocaine on the bathroom counter within reach of their young daughter. Renner, on the other hand, has accused his ex-wife of being the one with a drug problem. He said Pacheco's claims stem from her anger over their failed relationship and are an attempt to extort more money from the actor (via TMZ).
While it's unclear how much of this tense battle Ava has witnessed, the couple's comments seem to fly in the face of their original joint custody agreement, established in 2015 by California Superior Court Judge Michael Whitaker. Per the agreement, Renner was to pay Pacheco $13,000 a month in child support. Moreover, neither parent was to make negative remarks about the other in front of their daughter, per the Los Angeles Times.
Both Jeremy Renner and Sonni Pacheco say daughter Ava is their top priority
Despite the explosive accusations Jeremy Renner and Sonni Pacheco have thrown at each other, both seem to agree that their daughter Ava comes first. Renner's legal representatives told Us Weekly in 2019 that the actor's top priority was the well-being of his daughter. TMZ reported that Renner's reps also sought to make a connection between the timeline of Pacheco's claims and Renner's films, suggesting that the actor's ex-wife was trying to sabotage his career.
Pacheco, for her part, echoes similar sentiments from her perspective. "I am sick of being continually bullied, having my name slandered, and the truth muted," she told Us Weekly in 2020. "Anyone who is a parent knows that the most important thing in the world is their child's health and safety. It's hard to fathom what I've seen and what people have told me they've seen in regards to Jeremy's disturbing actions while our child is in his care."
Jeremy Renner was hospitalized in January 2023 after a snow plow accident resulted in 30 broken bones and a collapsed lung, during which he was visited by his fellow MCU stars, like Scarlet Johansson and Chris Evans, and bolstered by fan and family support. After this accident, Renner and Pacheco reconnected. The Daily Mail reported in July 2023 that the two have been spending time together at Renner's Lake Tahoe ranch with their young daughter, seemingly marking an end to the couple's intense feud.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.