Jeremy Renner has publicly denied recent allegations made against him by filmmaker Yi Zhou, who accused the actor of harassment and inappropriate conduct during their professional collaboration.
In a statement shared with Variety, a representative for Renner said, “The allegations being made are totally inaccurate and untrue.”
According to Zhou, she and Renner began communicating in June after he allegedly sent her “a string of unwanted/unsolicited pornographic images of himself via DM and WhatsApp.”
Zhou claimed their connection developed into what she described as a romantic relationship, saying he “seduced” her by “loving me so much I believed in him/the power of love.” She later alleged that she became the target of “smear fan campaigns” meant to “destroy” her reputation.
On social media, Zhou described her experience as an example of systemic mistreatment in the industry. She wrote:
“This experience really shows the dark side of Hollywood and the smear campaign to deter women and Asian female filmmakers and women in general.
“I’m appalled but happy to read also many support from friends and media that will continue to uncover domestic abuse, abuse of women and the unwanted unsolicited porn attack against innocent young women.”
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Zhou expanded on her claims, saying that she and Renner met on August 20 to discuss a documentary project. She alleged that Renner drank a bottle of wine and became “violent,” prompting her to lock herself in a room out of fear.
Before these allegations surfaced, Zhou and Renner had been collaborating on multiple projects. Zhou is the director of the upcoming documentary Chronicles of Disney, which explores the legacy of the studio and features Renner as an interview subject alongside costume designer Mark Bridges and makeup artist Bill Corso. The film is not affiliated with Disney itself.
Renner also lent his voice to Zhou’s animated feature Stardust Future: Stars and Scars, which has been promoted as the first AI-created animated movie. The project was reportedly aiming for an awards-qualifying theatrical release in November, with a portion of proceeds intended to support Renner’s charity, the Rennervation Foundation.
As of now, Renner’s lawyer has not issued any additional comment, and Zhou continues to share updates about her claims on social media.
