Jeremy Renner has spoken out after a filmmaker accused him of sending her nude photos and threatening to call immigration authorities. The actor says the claims are completely untrue.
Director Yi Zhou recently shared on social media that she had a personal and professional relationship with Renner. She claimed that he sent her “unwanted and inappropriate” messages and images, and even threatened her. The story quickly gained attention online.
Renner’s lawyer, Martin Singer, told PEOPLE that Zhou’s accusations are “false, outrageous, and highly defamatory.” He said Zhou had been chasing Renner for months and that the two only met once, briefly, in July 2025. Singer added that Renner ignored several “sexually explicit” messages from Zhou after that meeting.
Zhou, on the other hand, says she worked with Renner on her documentary Masters of Cinema: Chronicles of Disney. She called it a “pro bono collaboration” meant to help charitable foundations, including one of Renner’s own. According to her, the two developed a personal connection that later turned complicated.
She alleged that their first encounter wasn’t consensual and that she later faced online harassment from accounts linked to Renner’s fans. Zhou said she eventually sent him a cease-and-desist letter and asked him to stop what she described as “threatening behavior.”
Zhou said she only wants to protect her reputation and share her side of the story. Meanwhile, Renner continues to deny the accusations made by her.
