By using an older quote from former acting coach

Mar 12, 2010 16:03 GMT  ·  By

Just the other day, Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner, with whom critics fell in love all over again for his breathtaking performance in this year’s biggest hit “The Hurt Locker,” was forced to step forward and rubbish rumors of his putting the moves on singer Jessica Simpson. Today, his name is again in the media, though for something that, even if true, he would have probably preferred to be kept out of the papers.

As Queerty can also confirm, the National Enquirer is trying to out Renner, saying he’s leading a double life and actually stands zero chances of ever being with Simpson, or any other woman for that matter, because of his preferences. The tab doesn’t have any confirmation for this, but it bases its story on a quote from an older interview given by one of Renner’s former acting coaches.

Even if the report is accurate, what the tabloid is doing is not right, especially since it builds an argument to support its theory by also adding in the facts that Renner likes emotionally complex roles, took his mother to the Oscars and has not been seen (in the sense of photographed) with a woman since he broke into the spotlight many years ago. Should he be into men instead of women, coming out or staying in the closet is his choice to make, Queerty says, and not the Enquirer’s.

“Under the editorship of David Perel, the Enquirer has enjoyed its share of outings. Larry Birkhead. Gayle King. Meredith Baxter. And yes, everyone’s favorite ‘hiding in plain sight’ ‘mo, Anderson Cooper. The tabloid’s batting average is pretty high, which lends some credence to their claims about the Oscar-nominated actor. It doesn’t make any of it right,” the e-zine says.

“The Enquirer’s main evidence comes from a quote – given to another publication years ago – from a forming acting coach, who said, ‘I have never had the pleasure of meeting Jeremy’s boyfriend, but the fact that Jeremy [likes men] has never been a primary concern’.” Queerty further writes. A scan of the Enquirer page in question is also made available and, on it, the “Don’t ask, don’t tell!” caption is clearly visible.

Other ongoing reports are saying that, while the Enquirer is exaggerating a bit, the story is pretty accurate. Renner is not in the closet in the strictest sense: he just doesn’t like to talk about his personal life and his preferences with the media.