Jeremy Renner Denies Allegations of Misconduct Made by Filmmaker Yi Zhou
Actor Jeremy Renner, known for his roles in the “Avengers” films and the series “mayor of Kingstown,” is responding to allegations of misconduct made by filmmaker Yi Zhou. Zhou detailed the accusations in a series of Instagram posts last week, claiming Renner sent her “a string of unwanted / unsolicited pornographic images” beginning in June.
According to Zhou, a relationship developed through calls and texts, but “The first physical encounter was not consensual. … Later interactions became consensual, yet the earlier incident remained deeply distressing.” She also alleges Renner “threatened to call immigration/ICE on me,” leaving her “shocked and frightened.”
A representative for Renner stated Sunday that the accusations are “totally inaccurate and untrue.”
Zhou, a Los Angeles-based filmmaker originally from China, has directed the documentary “Masters of Cinema: Chronicles of Disney” and the animated film “Stardust Future,” the latter of which she says Renner participated in but later refused to promote. She has used the hashtag “#CancelJeremyRenner” alongside her posts, which include images of alleged messages and personal photos of the actor.
Renner’s attorney, Marty Singer, reportedly sent Zhou a cease-and-desist letter on Friday demanding she stop making “salacious lies,” according to People magazine. A request for comment to Singer’s office Sunday was not immediately returned.
Zhou stated her intention in posting is “not retaliation but transparency,” adding, “I have the right to protect my professional reputation, to set boundaries, and to correct misinformation when selective reporting distorts the facts.” She also posted a copy of a cease-and-desist letter she purportedly sent to Renner, requesting he cease “any form of verbal abuse, yelling or intimidation.”
These allegations follow previous misconduct claims made during a 2019 custody dispute with his ex-wife, Sonni Pacheco. In a 2025 interview with The Guardian promoting his memoir “My Last Breath,” Renner addressed those earlier accusations of substance abuse and verbal threats, stating, “being accused of things you’ve not done, right? That doesn’t feel good to anybody… It certainly doesn’t feel good when you’re a celebrity and it’s known to everybody.”
