Canadian filmmaker Yi Zhou is standing by her serious accusations against Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner, who has firmly denied sending her unwanted sexual images and threatening to involve immigration authorities.
The Allegations Against Jeremy Renner
Zhou, who previously collaborated with Renner on the documentary "Chronicles of Disney," made shocking claims this week through a series of Instagram posts. She stated that the 54-year-old "Mayor of Kingstown" star initially contacted her in June, sending what she described as "a string of unwanted and unsolicited pornographic images of himself" through WhatsApp and direct messaging platforms.
The filmmaker supported her claims by posting screenshots of her alleged conversations with Renner on Instagram, along with photographs of them together. In a subsequent post, Zhou emphasized that these images represent "facts" and confirmed she has preserved the "metadata saved" as evidence.
Escalating Tensions and Legal Threats
In a Thursday interview with the Daily Mail, Zhou described a disturbing incident where she claims Renner became intoxicated and yelled continuously for two hours during a discussion about their documentary project at his residence. She told the publication that she felt compelled to lock herself in a room for safety, "praying he would not come into the room at night as he was really angry." Zhou added, "I did not say a word, I was so scared for my life."
Zhou further alleged in another Instagram post that when she confronted Renner privately about his behavior and requested he treat her with respect as a woman and filmmaker, he responded by threatening to contact immigration authorities or ICE. She described this threat as something that "deeply shocked and frightened me." On Saturday, Zhou shared a cease-and-desist letter related to the matter.
Renner's Legal Team Fires Back
A spokesperson for Jeremy Renner told Variety that "the allegations being made are totally inaccurate and untrue." The actor's attorney, Marty Singer, provided a stronger denial to People, labeling Zhou's claims as "false, outrageous and highly defamatory."
Singer presented a contrasting narrative, accusing Zhou of retaliating against his client after Renner "rejected her romantic advances." The attorney claimed the two individuals only met twice, with the first encounter occurring in July at a Reno, Nevada hotel where they had what he described as a "brief consensual encounter."
However, Zhou countered this version in her own Saturday Instagram post, stating that their initial physical encounter was "not consensual," though she acknowledged that "later interactions became consensual." She maintained that the earlier incident remained profoundly distressing.
Renner's legal team has sent their own cease-and-desist letter to Zhou, accusing her of "defamatory communications" and warning of legal consequences if she continues posting what they characterize as "false, fabricated and salacious lies." The letter alleged that Zhou had "aggressively pursued a sexual/romantic/sexting relationship" with Renner and manufactured claims for publicity purposes.
Despite the legal pressure, Zhou continued posting on Saturday, responding to People's article by noting that "many women have spoken up about Jeremy Renner's misconduct." She clarified that "my intention is not retaliation but transparency" regarding her allegations against the prominent actor.
