Hawkeye co-writer Heather Quinn explains how actor Jeremy Renner helped bring Clint Barton to life in a CBR exclusive extract of Titan Comics' Marvel Studios' Hawkeye: The Official Collector Special.
Releasing on May 16, 2023, Marvel Studios' Hawkeye: The Official Collector Special is a new book full of behind-the-scenes images, interviews and more. In a CBR exclusive extract, Quinn, one of the writers of Disney+'s Hawkeye, is asked about what the process of working with Jeremy Renner on the show was like and what he brought to the table as an actor. She answered, "It’s been incredible to get to work with that caliber of an actor. But I think that’s a great example of [where] I have this story in my mind for a year and a half or so and I have this character that I’m trying to understand from my perspective. But he’s on the inside. And so he speaks a lot about how he feels like his job is being a barometer of truth and that he can only really perform something well if it feels true to him. So we would work from there a lot."
- JEREMY RENNER: Clint Barton / Hawkeye
- HAILEE STEINFELD: Kate Bishop
- FLORENCE PUGH: Yelena Belova
- TONY DALTON: Jack Duquense
- VERA FARMIGA: Eleanor Bishop
- THE “TRACKSUIT MAFIA”: Aleks Paunovic, Carlos Navarro, Piotr Adamczyk
- ALAQUA COX: Maya Lopez / Echo
- VINCENT D’ONOFRIO: Wilson Fisk / Kingpin
- FRA FEE: Kazi Kazimierczak
- AVA RUSSO: Lila Barton
- ROGERS THE MUSICAL!: Jason McDonald, Ty Adam, Tom Feeney, Nico Dejesus, Meghan Manning, Marc Shaiman, Josh Bergasse, Harris Matthew Turner, Adam Pascal.
- THE LARPERS: Clayton English, Adelle Drahos, Adetinpo Thomas
- FIGHTS: Adam Lytle, Heidi Moneymaker, Noon Orsatti
- CHOREOGRAPHY: Katherine Rotary
- PRODUCTION DESIGN: Maya Shimoguchi
- COSTUME: Michael Crow
- WRITER: Heather Qunn
- PRODUCERS: Trinh Tran, Brad Winderbaum
- DIRECTORS: Bert & Bertie, Rhys Thomas
Titan Comics' description for Marvel Studios' Hawkeye: The Official Collector Special reads, "In Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye, Avenger Clint Barton must confront his past as the vigilante Ronin as he takes on a protégé in the form of a young archer named Kate Bishop, while trying to reunite with his family for Christmas. Lavishly illustrated with stunning behind-the-scenes images, Jeremey Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, Vincent D’Onofrio and other members of the cast and crew, including the team responsible for the high-octane action sequences and the cast of Rogers: The Musical, reveal the secrets behind the creation of the hit Disney+ series."
Heather Quinn Talks Hawkeye in CBR's Exclusive Extract
The CBR exclusive extract from Marvel Studios' Hawkeye: The Official Collector Special reads, "As one of the writers behind Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye, Heather Quinn was integral to developing the characters and breaking the story. She looks back on collaborating with the cast on the ever-evolving story.
Why were you so keen to take on the task of writing Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye series?
I wanted to write within this universe for a few different reasons. I’d met a few of the people at Marvel Studios and kind of knew how they worked. That was super exciting. As far as Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye, I got very excited about Kate Bishop and brining in this new female character that comes from these great comics that are snarky and fun. And then the tonal juxtaposition of that eager new kid hero becoming a hero. Then also getting to broaden and tell a lot of story for Clint Barton that we really hadn’t gotten to see in the movies. All of that was thrilling.
The story for Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye must have undergone many changes over the course of a year. How did it evolve?
I mean, the process of how much was changed and adjusted even just on set, but especially since back then… I think ideally the story becomes like a living thing where we know what it should be. But you kind of have to let it move and keep changing. Some of that comes from the directors’ insight. Some of that comes from the actors’ notes, because they’re actually inhabiting these people. So it does keep evolving. Also [with] scenes that have come about, the seed of where it came from was something very innocent or funny or kind of a joke or a lark at the time [and] now really belongs there. That’s a fun part of the creative process.
How much did you collaborate with Jeremy Renner during the writing process?
It’s been incredible to get to work with that caliber of an actor. But I think that’s a great example of [where] I have this story in my mind for a year and a half or so and I have this character that I’m trying to understand from my perspective. But he’s on the inside. And so he speaks a lot about how he feels like his job is being a barometer of truth and that he can only really perform something well if it feels true to him. So we would work from there a lot.
It's like, if there’s lines or a scene or especially an emotional turn and it doesn’t feel true to him, then I think our attitude was to listen to that and try to find the truth. Because if it’s not authentic in him, then I think the audience will not connect with the moment.
What was the process involved in writing for Maya Lopez, a deaf character?
I’m amazed by what Alaqua Cox brings to the role. I mean, it strikes me as heroic that she could just step into this and inhabit it so bravely, especially as it is her first solo role. I feel very humbled getting to write for her and also humbled because it was my first time writing for a deaf character. In the room, we had a lot of conversations, and we worked with consultants. So I gained some knowledge, but it was also a privilege to get to work more closely with her. Not just with her, but also with the interpreters and the consultant and the translators who were rehearsing with them.
It was such an amazing process to find how can we write dialogue that feels true for her. And then also, kind of letting go of [the dialogue] in a different way because it’s going to be translated. We want it to be the best ASL line, but I’m not writing that line, right? That’s a whole other kind of art.
Watching her performance, it continued to evolve. Then it was doing little tweaks and notes where we were starting to see what she was able to bring out and how to support that with language, how to support that with cues on the page."
Marvel Studios' Hawkeye: The Official Collector Special releases on May 16, 2023, from Titan Comics. Pre-orders are currently available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million and IndieBound.
Source: Titan Comics