Jeremy Renner would have "sold a testicle" to appear in the Bourne franchise.

The actor plays Aaron Cross in the latest film instalment, The Bourne Legacy, following the departure of Matt Damon.

The role is a dream for Jeremy, although he thought long and hard about how it would change his life before accepting it.

"That's why I was contemplating saying no to something that, creatively, I would sell a testicle to do," he replied, when asked by Shortlist if he thought about how the part would impact him.

"This is a dream role for any actor, because of the complexity of the character, the really cool stunts and the fact it's all visceral and authentic. But I had to sit and think how it would shift my life.

My friends said, 'What are you, an idiot?' But nobody wants to be under a microscope constantly, so I had to consider it."

Renner got in shape for the role, but when he's not shooting films he is relaxed about his diet. He loves sweet food and can't help filing up on chocolate and desserts.

"Raw cookie dough, cake, doughnuts, I eat everything," he laughed. "I hit some ice cream and I'm like, 'I shouldn't be getting used to this... but it's kind of sweet... Sh*t, it's going to take forever to shake this off.'"

Acting isn't the only thing Renner is good at. He is also a keen house renovator, which has been surprisingly lucrative.

"I've done 18 homes or so, and I love it. I made more money doing that than I ever did as an actor," he said.

The Bourne Legacy opens in New Zealand theatres on August 16.

- Cover Media