If you don’t read my site, and let’s go ahead and assume you don’t, you might not know that I have a bit of a crush on Jeremy Renner. Or, more specifically, on his cute butt. Ever since his Oscar-nominated turn in The Hurt Locker in 2008, Renner’s star has been steadily on the rise, and now he’s poised to be the Next Big Thing with two major movies bookending the summer. In May he stars in The Avengers and in August he’s got to carry the first non-Damon Bourne movie. It’s make or break time for Renner.

Which is why he’s on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter with the headline “A star is BOURNE (fingers crossed)”. Hollywood really, really needs leading men. The Movie Star is dying and our last crop of leading men is aging out of the kind of manly-men roles that made most of them famous. The industry is desperate for dudes who can carry an action flick while also appealing to the ladies—this is why Channing Tatum is having the success he is, despite being unevolved. And right now, Renner is one of the top candidates for this position. He’s a two-time Oscar nominee who’s made his name in recent years playing soldiers, thieves and assassins. Doesn’t get much manlier than that. To me, the real question about Renner’s Movie Star potential is whether or not he will appeal to a wide enough audience of women. I mean, I’m into it, but I know Lainey isn’t.

Here’s why you should be rooting for the success of Jeremy Renner (besides the fact that he  actually is fully evolved): he’s f*cking crazy and will be GREAT for gossip. I love discussing Renner because it leads to some of the wildest stories I’ve ever heard, and this guy gives phenomenal sound bites. Just read his THR piece—it’s full of gems like “and then I choked him out” and “I don’t want to be a good celebrity, a good f*cking star”. We need Jeremy Renner. This is a guy who says “I don’t do bar fights,” but then proceeds to tell a story about the time he got into a bar fight on CHRISTMAS EVE. Also, he’s one of those guys—you know those guys, the ones who know everyone and are friends with everybody, the kind of guy who throws amazing parties and the craziest sh*t goes down around him. Whenever there’s a weird story about him, like that bar fight in Thailand, the reality of what happened is always 67% more nuts than whatever official version his publicist puts out.

Last summer we test drove Ryan Reynolds and his Movie Star dream stalled out. This year, it’s Jeremy Renner’s turn. There’s a lot riding his on his shoulders with the future of the Bourne franchise and his potential as a leading man beyond that. Paramount’s already banking on his potential as a household name, pushing Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters to January 2013. (Given the January date, it’s probably bad, but they’ll want Renner’s name to mean something by then so they have something to market next winter.) Please, please let Jeremy Renner be a Movie Star. Gossip will be a better, more insane place for it.

(Lainey: does it look like he’s wearing a lot of eyeliner in this shoot? Also attached - Renner eating with friends at Mel’s Diner in LA earlier this week.)

Click here to read the full Jeremy Renner article from The Hollywood Reporter.