Jeremy Renner Addresses Ex-Wife Sonni Pacheco’s Abuse Allegations

Jeremy Renner is denying the claims ex-wife Sonni Pacheco has made that he abused her in a new interview with Men’s Health. The two, who split nearly seven years ago, have been embroiled in a messy custody battle over daughter Ava, now 8, with the actress, 30, accusing the Avengers star of abusing her. 

Speaking about the situation in court with his ex, Renner, 50, addressed the allegations without going into detail. “I don’t respond publicly or privately to nonsense,” he told Men’s Health. “It only empowers it. … If you respond to it, you give it gas. I don’t fuel s— fires. I just don’t do it. I refuse to.”

The Oscar nominee and The Wingman star split in December 2014 after less than one year of marriage, and their divorce was finalized in 2015. In 2019, Pacheco claimed that Renner threatened to kill her and himself the previous year, claiming the Marvel star had a history of verbal, emotional and substance abuse. In March 2020, Pacheco released a statement slamming Renner when the actor requested to lower his child support payments due to what he said were earnings impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. 

“It is very disheartening that, in a time of global crisis, there is yet another attempt to reduce funds I rely on to provide for our child,” she said at the time. Later that year, the Mayor of Kingstown star accused Pacheco of misusing money from their daughter’s trust fund, claiming she had removed more than $50,000 from the fund to be used for herself.

Pacheco denied the allegations at the time, telling Us Weekly, “I am sick of being continually bullied, having my name slandered, and the truth muted. Anyone who is a parent knows that the most important thing in the world is their child’s health and safety. Over the years, 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.”