Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou has accused Marvel actor Jeremy Renner of serious misconduct, sharing claims of aggressive behavior, unsolicited explicit messages, and threats involving immigration authorities. The allegations relate to their professional collaboration on two film projects earlier this year.
The Core Allegations
Yi Zhou, a director with works featured at Sundance and Cannes film festivals, claims her working relationship with Jeremy Renner turned deeply troubling. Zhou states that Renner first contacted her directly in June 2025, sending “personal and intimate photographs of himself” along with explicit video content. She provided screenshots of alleged WhatsApp conversations showing a pornographic video clip with the message “This ok ???” accompanied by a drooling emoji.
Zhou says Renner convinced her of his sincerity about a long-term relationship, leading to both personal and professional collaboration. She had invited him to participate in her documentary Chronicles of Disney and the AI-animated feature Stardust Future, with Renner reportedly signing agreement papers with her Italian production company.
Meeting at Renner’s Home
The situation reportedly escalated during a meeting at Renner’s Reno, Nevada home on August 20, 2025. Zhou claims Renner drank an entire bottle of wine alone and became increasingly angry, yelling for approximately two hours. Fearful for her safety, she locked herself in a room and shared her location with her team, parents, and Disney colleagues.
“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,” Zhou told the Daily Mail. “I did not say a word, I was so scared for my life.”
In text conversations with colleagues during the incident, one person responded: “Can you lock yourself in the bathroom? He sounds crazy.” Zhou replied: “I did lock hope he can’t open. I’m so worried he yelled for 2 hours with one bottle of wine down alone.”
Threats and Professional Fallout
When Zhou privately confronted Renner about his alleged misconduct and asked for basic respect as a woman and filmmaker, she claims he retaliated by threatening to involve U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She shared a partial screenshot of an alleged WhatsApp message from Renner that read: “Immigration will be notified of your—” though she declined to provide the full text.
Zhou also accused Renner of refusing to promote their collaborative projects after their relationship soured. She claims he denied their relationship publicly and used fan accounts to spread misinformation that the Chronicles of Disney documentary was created with AI and that he hadn’t participated in it.
“When I called him out privately about his past misconduct and asked him to behave properly, to respect me as a woman and as a filmmaker, he threatened to call immigration/ICE on me, an act that deeply shocked and frightened me,” Zhou stated on Instagram.
Renner’s Response and Past Controversies
As of November 7, 2025, Jeremy Renner has not publicly responded to Zhou’s allegations, and his representatives have not answered media requests for comment. This isn’t the first time Renner has faced serious accusations—his ex-wife, Sonnie Pacheco, previously alleged abusive behavior during their custody battle in 2019, including claims that he threatened to kill her and himself.
The allegations arrive at a sensitive time for Renner, who has been celebrated for his remarkable recovery after a near-fatal snowplow accident in January 2023 that left him with 38 broken bones. His resilience and return to work had been widely publicized as an inspiring comeback story.
Industry Implications and Ongoing Developments
Zhou characterized her experience as revealing “the unsaid truth about Hollywood and the conditions about how women and Asian filmmakers and filmmakers overall are still being mistreated.” She emphasized that no woman or creative professional should have to work under such emotional and psychological pressure while trying to protect their reputation and work integrity.
The filmmaker continues to share updates online, hinting that other women might come forward with similar experiences. With the recent release of Chronicles of Disney and the upcoming Stardust Future, the professional implications for both Zhou and Renner remain uncertain as the entertainment industry watches for further developments.
Also Read: Jeremy Renner Returns to Acting in Knives Out 3 After Snow Plow Accident
