The on-screen, familial mentorship between Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch led the public to assume Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen shared a simple brother-sister bond in real life. However, Renner has revealed their true connection is far more professional and focused: Olsen views him as a “trusted guide” through the industry, a secret bond confirmed by their 2017 collaboration on the critically acclaimed indie film, Wind River.
The public understanding of the relationship between Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen was largely cemented by their characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Clint Barton (Hawkeye) famously took the fledgling Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) under his wing in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), creating a powerful, protective, and immediate familial dynamic that carried over to Captain America: Civil War (2016).
This on-screen comfort led the public to believe the actors shared a similarly simple sibling relationship off-camera.
However, Jeremy Renner, a two-time Oscar nominee, revealed that their bond is far more specialized and professional: a deeply trusted mentor-protégé relationship where their conversations extend far beyond the logistics of the MCU.
The Misconception vs. The Professional Reality
The initial misconception stemmed from the clear affection and comfort both actors demonstrated on set. But Renner’s reveal clarified that the true measure of their bond lies in Elizabeth Olsen’s respect for his career trajectory outside of massive studio franchises.
The revelation is that Olsen doesn’t just ask Renner for MCU advice; she persistently seeks his counsel on her independent projects, viewing him as a guide for navigating the complex world of non-franchise filmmaking. Renner, with his Oscar-nominated work in films like The Hurt Locker, possesses the exact independent film credentials Olsen values as she seeks to balance her career.
In an interview, Olsen herself confirmed the value of working repeatedly with a trusted co-star:
“It’s very lucky because I haven’t even been working for ten years, so to get to work with somebody that is talented and rich in character as Jeremy is a massive learning experience that I get to have.”
The Critical Data Point: Wind River (2017)
The most compelling data supporting this mentor-protégé bond is their deliberate choice to reunite for a critically acclaimed project that had nothing to do with the Avengers: the intense 2017 crime thriller, Wind River.
In the film, written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, Renner starred as a veteran tracker who teams up with Olsen, playing a rookie FBI agent. Their decision to collaborate on a grounded, serious indie film—immediately following the massive success of their two Avengers films—demonstrated a clear professional alignment and Olsen’s trust in his artistic judgment.
By seeking out Renner for a non-franchise project, Olsen affirmed her trust in his ability to help guide her in balancing her role as Scarlet Witch with challenging, independent cinema. Renner’s insight confirms their bond is built on a foundation of professional respect, with Olsen viewing her colleague as a trusted guide through the challenging landscape of a dual career, a bond far more valuable than a simple, fictional sibling relationship.