THE LINEN BLAZER Blazer $530, belt $145, and trousers $248, all by OLIVER SPENCER; shirt ny MICHAH COHEN, $68; cahsmere cardigan by LUCIEN PELLAT-FINET, $4550; sneakers by DC SHOES, $65; watch by SWISS ARMY

AGE 35
HOMETOWN Modesto, California

"I like to say there is part of me in every character I do, but there was very little of me in that  one," laughs Jeremy Renner of his breakout performance in the title role in 2002's Dahmer. Since his convincing portrayal as the infamous serial killer, Renner has been working 24/7. "In the last three years, I've been in Los Angeles maybe a month or two out of the year," he says. "It's been a little wearing living out of a suitcase, but that to me is a high-class problem."

Renner's willingness to travel has led to a growing body of work, including North Country, Lords Of Dogtown, and back-to-back indies Twelve And Holding and A Little Trip To Heaven. Next up is The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, with a stellar ensemble cast headed by Brad Pitt. Renner plays Wood Hite, the straight arrow of the James gang. "Which is funny, because I usually play the villain," he says. "If there is any moral fiber in the gang, it's this guy, but still, it's the moral fiber of an outlaw."

So, is Renner's cult following edging toward the mainstream? The actor replies, "I would love to do something that my family could see. Most of the parts I play are pretty heavy or horrible people. It would be nice to do something a little lighter."

Not that he's thinking of going all Hugh Grant and switching to chick-friendly flicks. "I don't know about a romantic comedy," he says, taking the last hit off a Camel Light. "But I am doing a romantic tragedy. You know, I don't want to go too far afield."

WHERE YOU CAN SEE HIM NEXT: In The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford.