Jeremy Renner thinks Gemma Arteton is a ''real gem''.

The 42-year-old actor has praised his 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters' co-star's natural on-screen presence and ''depth'' and admits the chemistry between them was perfect to portray the infamous siblings in Tommy Wirkola's horror reworking of the fairytale classic.

He explained: ''We were lucky to find her, we read a lot of really great actresses, it took along time. But the real trick in finding the right girl for this was... well, we kind of look a bit alike, but there's also a weight she brings to things without actually having to do much - I don't know what that is, I couldn't tell you, but she has it.

''And between us, there was something already right there, it was natural. We couldn't have been more lucky to find Gemma, she brings a wonderful depth to Gretel. She's great.''

The story is set 15 years after Hansel and Gretel escape from the famous tale's child-catching witch and sees the pair devoting their lives to ensnaring evil forces.

Jeremy confessed he signed up to the film because of its unique approach to the Grimm fairytale - even though he ended up black and blue on set.

He told FlicksandBits.com: ''There's a lot of really arduous action in the film. One of the big differences in this movie is that while usually heroes win all their battles, Hansel and Gretel get their butts kicked numerous times. So in a way we had to face getting beat up every day.

''But we also had a great time. Tommy brought an incredible tone to the whole thing, a mix of serious and funny that I think gives the film the quality of a real adventure.''