Jeremy Renner has denied accusations from Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou, who claimed he harassed her and threatened to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A spokesperson for the Hawkeye star told Variety, “The allegations being made are totally inaccurate and untrue.” In a separate statement to People, Renner’s rep described the claims as “false, outrageous, and highly defamatory,” alleging that Zhou was acting out of revenge after Renner “rejected her romantic advances” and declined to promote her work.
Zhou alleged that Renner first reached out to her in June and later sent her “a string of unwanted/unsolicited pornographic images of himself via DM and WhatsApp.” She claimed their connection began professionally through collaborations on the documentary Chronicles of Disney and an animated film before turning romantic.
“He convinced me of his sincerity, saying he had been single for a long time and open to a long-term relationship,” Zhou wrote on Instagram. “I believed in him, in the power of love and in the possibility of redemption.”
According to Zhou, things took a dark turn when they met in person to discuss a project. “I was discussing about the documentary logistics, then he drank a bottle of wine alone and got angry and yelled for two hours,” she told the Daily Mail. “I had to share location with my team, my parents and Disney colleagues in case something happens to me they know where I am. I had to lock myself in a room to be safe, praying he would not come into the room at night as he was really angry. I did not say a word, I was so scared for my life.”
Zhou said that after she confronted him privately about his alleged behavior, Renner “threatened to call immigration/ICE on me, an act that deeply shocked and frightened me.” She also told People she felt “frauded by love” and claimed Renner “forced himself on me the first day we met.”
In response, Renner’s legal team issued a cease and desist letter to Zhou on Nov. 7, warning of potential legal action and demanding that she stop making “defamatory communications” and refrain from spreading “false, fabricated and salacious lies.”
Despite this, Zhou has continued to share posts about the situation on her Instagram page.
