Marvel actor Jeremy Renner allegedly threatened to kill himself and his ex-wife, according to a lawsuit.

The star, who plays superhero Hawkeye in the Marvel films, is locked in a custody battle with Sonni Pacheco over their six-year-old daughter, Ava.

Ms Pacheco, a Canadian model who married Renner in January 2014 before filing for divorce later that year, has accused her ex-husband of drug use and emotional abuse.

Jeremy Renner
Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner has been accused of threatening his ex-wife (Ian West/PA)

A representative for Renner said the allegations are “one-sided”.

In legal documents lodged in Los Angeles, Ms Pacheco, who is seeking full custody of the couple’s daughter, claims Renner once threatened to kill her.

On one occasion, she alleges, Renner stuck a gun in his mouth before shooting it into the ceiling.

He was high on cocaine and said he “could not deal with her anymore, and he just wanted her gone,” the lawsuit says.

Ms Pacheco also alleges Renner took cocaine while looking after Ava and once left the drug on a bathroom counter within the child’s reach.

A representative for Renner told People magazine: “The well-being of his daughter Ava has always been and continues to be the primary focus for Jeremy.

“This is a matter for the court to decide. It’s important to note the dramatisations made in Sonni’s declaration are a one-sided account made with a specific goal in mind.”

When filing for divorce in December 2014, Pacheco cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split.

She filed a request for sole legal and physical custody of Ava in September at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.

A court hearing in the city is set for November 7. As well as his role in the Marvel films, Renner, 48, earned Oscar nominations for films The Hurt Locker and The Town.