Jeremy Renner Opens Up About His Friendship With Chris Cornell: ''I Was Just Glad to Have Any Experience With Him''

Actor joined the The Howard Stern Show

Jeremy Renner is remembering his late friend, Chris Cornell.

The 46-year-old actor sat down on The Howard Stern Show today to discuss his new film Wind River as well as his various talents, including music.

One of his big influences was, of course, Cornell who Renner said he had the pleasure of meeting through mutual friends. 

"He is amazing," Renner said of Cornell, who passed away in May. "I knew him through friends—[Josh] Brolin, Andrew Michael Cooper—through friends of mine I've known for a bit."

When asked if they ever partied together, Renner simply noted, "I was just glad to have any experience with Chris."

Though Renner taught himself how to play the guitar, piano and drums, he said he could never attempt to play with Cornell.

"I would've freaked out," he admitted. "He was one of the reasons why I never wanted to be a singer because that voice that he had was...I almost hate the guy."

Renner also revealed that he had attended Cornell's funeral where he ran into Chester Bennington, who was found dead on July 20 after committing suicide by hanging—the same way Cornell died.

Renner said his way of coping with the tragic deaths is by learning from them.

"You just kind of get saddened by stuff like that," he told Stern. "And try to learn and grow from those experiences."