From CSI to M:I4, Jeremy Renner has come a long way. Having enjoyed relative anonymity for the first decade of his career, featuring appearances on Angel and CSI, the American actor shot to stardom with his Oscar-nominated roles in The Town and The Hurt Locker.

There’s nothing like some quality time in the presence of Tom Cruise to keep your ego in check. Renner may have made physically demanding roles his speciality in S.W.A.T, 28 Weeks Later and now Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – but he’s still the new kid on the block. The actor admits that his resumé pales in comparison to his co-star Tom Cruise, who (literally, in most of his films) runs away with the title of this generation’s Action Man.
“Yeah – he’s tough to keep up with!” Renner laughs. “He’s a pretty amazing human being. He never seems to stop. He has no fear. We’re very similar in that way, but he’s got a lot more energy!”
So much so, in fact, that Renner found it quite difficult to pin the M:I4 actor down for even a few moments, let alone for a leisurely trade of action movie war-stories.
“I loved to just catch him, just to box him in a corner once in a while because he’s always doing something! He’s either working on the script or talking to a director and I just wanted to try to grab him once in a while between shots so I could talk to him about past movies he’s done, like Rain Man or all these really great movies. He’s just a plethora of information – if you can catch him! But he’s still so enthusiastic. He genuinely loves everything about his work. He’s a cinephile, in lots of ways, he never really studied as an actor, he just went sort of on his instincts. He’s a great observer and I think that’s what makes him a really fantastic actor.”
Renner’s fascination with Cruise’s more dramatic roles is indicative of his passion for complex, nuanced performances – a passion that was well in evidence in his volcanic turns in both The Town and The Hurt Locker, which earned him Academy Award nominations. So in many ways his more stunt-focused role in Ghost Protocol seems like an odd progression, as it means transitioning from a serious character actor into a by-the-book action figure.
“There’s less time to deal with the human aspects to it in a movie like this,” he agrees. “Our director Brad Bird was pretty adamant about that side as well. We all were. Having less time doesn’t mean it’s abandoned, at all, it just means you’re even more acutely aware of when you can have these human moments next to all the chaos.”
But despite his concerns, Renner’s compass seems firmly pointed to action stardom, as next year he’s not only appearing in the long-anticipated superhero flick The Avengers, he has also been cast as the leading man in the reboot of the Bourne franchise. For a man who confesses he cherished the freedom his previously low profile allowed, the decision to take on such a high profile project wasn’t an easy one.
“I did hesitate taking on another franchise, because it’s saying ‘Mission Impossible and Hansel And Gretel and The Avengers and now Bourne, what am I really doing here?’ And it became more of a life choice than an artistic choice.
“It was about, ‘This is going to change my anonymity.’ So I had to consider did I really want to step into that. I was really good at slithering under the radar for so many years!”
If you’re going to transition from inducing mass orgasms in the Academy to becoming a Hollywood honey, there’s nothing like a blend of Grimm’s fairytales, some serious ammunition and Gemma Arterton to help you on your way. Renner has just wrapped on the comedy horror Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters which was directed by quirky filmmaker Tommy Wirkola and promises to be completely bizarre – hopefully in a good way, but with that description we’re reserving judgement.
“Hey – I don’t get the chance to do a lot of comedy!” protests the star, laughing. “I haven’t seen the completed movie yet, but I had a load of fun shooting. It’s Hansel and Gretel 15 years later, and they want to get back at witches – essentially they become bounty hunters. I’m seeing it in a couple of days and can’t wait! I’m really curious.” He smiles. “You never know what the end result will be!”
Given the trajectory of Renner’s career, a truer word was never spoken. But I’m sure as hell looking forward to watching the journey.

Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol is out on December 26.