Things Got 'Spooky' For Jeremy Renner After Playing Jeffery Dahmer

"Dahmer" was one of Jeremy Renner's breakout roles. Early in an actor's career, it typically benefits them to take whatever roles they can get. Knowing this, the actor now known for playing Hawkeye ("Avengers" not "M*A*S*H") took the role of Dahmer without even knowing who he was, which likely resulted in a very unsettling realization when Renner eventually sat down to actually read the script.

Dahmer, who murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991, is one of the most infamous serial killers in American history. The 2002 film "Dahmer" is about him and his heinous crimes. The film was a relatively low-budget independent picture, but it got eyes on it due to its disturbing content.

As you could expect for someone who needs to delve into the mind of a serial killer for a few months, Jeremy Renner did not love the whole experience of being Jeffrey Dahmer. According to Renner in multiple interviews, things just got "spooky" in his life when he took on the role, including adversely affecting his dating life, which he spoke about in a Parade article. "After I did the film, playing a guy who was basically a monster, things started getting creepy... ...Then some girl bit me in a bar because I wasn't paying attention to her anymore and I had to go to the hospital. It kept me single for a while, that's for sure. Lot of people I wanted to date, but people I probably shouldn't date."

We know better than ever now, with "true crime" becoming an extremely popular genre, how weird some people can get about serial killers. But for Renner, who didn't even know he'd be playing a serial killer, it had to have been a disturbing surprise.

According to Renner, the woman biting him wasn't close to the creepiest thing that happened after the release of "Dahmer." In an Esquire interview, Renner talks about some encounters he had with an old man.

The old man began appearing everywhere Renner went, whether it be coffee shops or bars. The man would remark how lucky they were to have run into each other, and suggested they get a drink together. Renner always said no.

One time the man appeared in front of Renner's apartment while Renner walked his dog. The man again asked if the two could get a drink. Renner said no again, and the man began yelling. Renner hurried away, waiting until he thought the man was gone to return to his apartment.

Finally, one day, Renner heard a noise on his patio. Upon investigation, he saw that old man with Renner's cat, Milo, in his arms. He ran away with the cat, never to be seen again. Renner mourns the loss of Milo the cat to this day.

"After I did the film, playing a guy who was basically a monster, things started getting creepy. My cat was stolen. Then some girl bit me in a bar because I wasn't paying attention to her anymore and I had to go to the hospital. It kept me single for a while, that's for sure. Lot of people I wanted to date, but people I probably shouldn't date."

 "I hope Milo had a good life," added the actor. "I hope he didn't end up as that guy's dinner."

Luckily for Renner, his stint as a deranged cannibal allowed him to take more pleasant roles later in his career. Now, as we all wait excitedly for him to fix up houses in "Rennervations," we can be happy that we've never had to pretend to be a homicidal maniac in order to get our careers on track.