Jeremy Renner Recalls ‘Great Chats’ with Robert Downey Jr. When He Was in ICU: ‘Like We Were Dating’ (Exclusive)

Most moviegoers know Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, and from Sunday, an Oscar winner.

But behind the scenes and without any fanfare, Oppenheimer the actor, 58, has built a reputation as someone who always comes to the aid of others. “He really believes in giving back, and he does that through his actions,” his wife and producing partner, Susan, 50, says in the new issue of PEOPLE.

Downey himself calls it a “silent service,” but he’s not one to brag about helping others.

“It’s just a tribute to everything he’s been through, to all the people who stayed through some of his more difficult times,” Susan continues, referring to his series of professional and legal troubles in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Robert Downey Jr. jokes ‘It only took him 50 years’ to be on the cover of PEOPLE: ‘I’m finally here’

Whether it’s mentoring younger actors — like John Boyega, who sought Downey’s advice on navigating Hollywood before breaking out into Star Wars: The Force Awakens — or providing moral support to friends going through a tough time, Downey shows up for those in need.

Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner in 2014.

Kevin Winter/Getty

When fellow vigilante Jeremy Renner was in intensive care last January after a horrific snowplow accident, Downey checked on him constantly.

“We ended up having really great conversations on FaceTime, like we were dating or something,” recalls Renner, 53, who was nearly crushed to death outside his Nevada home on Jan. 1, 2023.

As Renner tells PEOPLE, he was suffering from “otherworldly pain,” and Downey was there to take his mind off things by brainstorming.

“He says, ‘Dude, the most important thing is that you look good. I don’t care how you feel, as long as you look good that’s all that matters,’” Renner recalls.

Robert Downey Jr. on the cover of PEOPLE’s Oscars issue.

©AMPAS/Matt Sayles/Courtesy of the Academy

Downey and Susan are both fans The mayor of KingstownRenner’s series Paramount+, so the star persuaded his friend to leave the hospital and return to the set.

“He’s like, ‘You have to go back to being mayor, because we have to see what happens,'” Renner says, laughing at the memory. “His ways are very touching.”

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Jon Favreau, who directed Downey in 2008 Iron man and its sequel, he agrees. “He’s someone who, even when he’s not working, he still connects,” Favreau says. “He really maintains relationships, always checks in and always keeps those channels of communication and those relationships open.”

Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner in 2013.

Jason Merritt/Getty

“You’re part of a community,” Favreau continues. “I learned a lot about it from him, about how he connects with others he’s worked with and people he’s going to work with, and people whose work he likes and who he hasn’t worked with.”

“He’s definitely an ambassador to people in our area,” Favreau says. “And I think he’s appreciated for that. People really watch him.”

For more on Robert Downey, Jr., pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE.

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