Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner (54) has threatened legal action against filmmaker Yi Zhou (38) after she made shocking allegations against him.
According to reports, Renner’s legal team — led by high-profile attorney Marty Singer — sent Zhou a cease-and-desist letter on Friday, demanding that she stop making “false, fabricated and salacious lies” about him.

In the letter, Renner asserts that their interaction began when Zhou approached him in July to collaborate on her documentary Chronicles of Disney. He claims it was Zhou who made advances towards him, and that they shared only one “brief consensual encounter.” Following that meeting, when they met again in August, he says he informed her he was not interested in a sexual relationship. 

Renner further alleges that after their meeting, Zhou repeatedly sent him “hundreds” of explicit text messages. One of the cited messages allegedly reads: “I want him inside of me so badly so so badly f-k me, babe.” Another referenced “playing with the fake giant thing” and “the real giant.” 
He also claims that Zhou threatened to “harm him publicly” unless he promoted her documentary and made it appear that they were in a romantic relationship. 

On the other side, Zhou alleges that Renner sent her unsolicited pornographic images of himself via DM and WhatsApp in June, that a meeting in his home became so volatile she believed for her safety, and that he threatened to call U.S. immigration authorities (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE) on her when she confronted him about his conduct.  She stated that the reason she went public was because she felt powerless, saying this was “a story of survival against domestic aggression, porn abuse and abuse of workplace and abuse as a woman.” 

Renner’s legal team denies the allegations. A representative stated that “the allegations being made are totally inaccurate and untrue.”  Singer described Zhou’s claims as “false, outrageous and highly defamatory,” and said that Zhou had been “relentlessly and aggressively harassed and pursued my client for months with no reciprocation… other than a single brief encounter on July 12.” 

The cease-and-desist letter reportedly warns that if Zhou does not stop spreading these allegations and cease making defamatory communications, she could face legal action and “multi-millions” in liability. 

The wider context:

• Zhou claims the collaboration between her company and Renner included her documentary Chronicles of Disney (released October) and an animated feature Stardust Future, which she says Renner narrated (though he disputes this). The dispute comes at a time when Renner has publicly spoken about his near-fatal snow­plow accident in 2023 and recovery, and his intention to be more vulnerable and open. Zhou referenced his accident in her posts, saying she believed in a “Disney fairy-tale” when they began their working relationship. 

• The allegations raise questions about power dynamics in Hollywood, especially involving women and non-white filmmakers. Zhou framed her disclosure as an attempt to “encourage other women to come forward” in such circumstances. 

At present, both parties appear to be preparing for further legal steps. Renner’s camp has already sent its letter, while Zhou has posted on Instagram that she too sent a cease-and-desist letter to Renner in late October. 

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Why this matters
This case is significant for several reasons. First, the nature of the allegations — including alleged unsolicited sexual images and threats involving immigration status — are serious and rare in public disputes involving established actors. Second, the involvement of a filmmaker from abroad (Zhou, Chinese-born and working in Los Angeles) highlights issues of cross-cultural power imbalance and representation in the film industry. Third, the threat of legal action and the question of who pursued whom points to how allegations can flip into defamation claims and countersuits. Lastly, this controversy adds to broader conversations in Hollywood about accountability, gender relations, and how collaborations can go wrong when personal and professional boundaries blur.