MJC Alumnus nominated for Best actor Oscar

Modesto Junior College alumnus Jeremy Renner has been nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in the 2009 film, The Hurt Locker.

     Renner was born in Modesto, California and graduated from Beyer High School in 1989 before attending MJC. His success is being hailed as an accomplishment not only for himself, but for the whole community.

     Michael Lynch, longtime MJC Instructor of Theater, recalls his first encounter with Renner.

     "He was my first audition ever [at MJC] for a play that I wrote…I showed that play in New York and San Francisco and he was the best [actor] out of them all," Lynch said.

     Acting wasn't Renner's original plan when he started college. He was taking courses for computer science and criminology and took an acting class with Lynch as an elective. Through it Renner discovered his passion for acting, because it allowed him to express emotions he didn't know he had.  His father Lee Renner, says he was an "extremely bright, shy, and quiet" youth. But, once he tried acting he seemed to have truly found his calling.

     "I really did know right away that he had what it took. Not only the talent, but also integrity and a good heart." Lynch added Renner is taking his mom as his date to the Academy Awards.

     Lynch had heard Renner was possibly up for the award and anxiously awaited the day of the results.

     "I woke up at five am to hear the nominations. One: no. Two: no. Three: no. Four: no. Five…yes! He was the very last one to be listed," Lynch recalls.

     Although Lynch knew Jeremy in the early days of his acting career, he takes no credit for his ability.

     "He would have done it without me…he makes everything easy," Lynch said.