MCU Star Jeremy Renner Faces Allegations of Abuse, Explicit Photo Misconduct, and ICE Threats
Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou has accused actor Jeremy Renner of sexual misconduct, claiming that the Avengers star sent her unsolicited explicit photos and later threatened to contact immigration authorities after she confronted him.
Zhou shared screenshots of what she said were WhatsApp conversations with Renner on her Instagram account this week, along with long captions describing her version of events.
She said the two had first met while working together on Chronicles of Disney, a documentary she directed about the Walt Disney Company’s history. They also collaborated on an animated project. According to Zhou, their professional connection later turned personal.
In her Instagram post, Zhou wrote, “In June 2025, out of the blue I received 2 photos of Jeremy Renner and then a string of unwanted / unsolicited pornographic images of himself via DM and WhatsApp, that was his introduction to me.” She also said Renner had contacted other women in a similar way.
A representative for Renner told TheWrap that “the accusations being made by this individual are totally inaccurate and untrue.”
Zhou continued to post what she said were messages and photos from Renner, including one that showed a drooling emoji alongside an explicit image. Some social media users accused her of creating fake conversations using AI, but Zhou denied this and said the messages were real.
In another post, Zhou said the situation exposed what she called a toxic culture in Hollywood. “This experience really shows the dark side of Hollywood and the smear campaign to deter women and Asian female filmmakers and women in general,” she wrote. “I love Hollywood, but we need to stop the cover up for misconduct affecting other women.”
The director also told followers that she once felt unsafe during an encounter with Renner. She said he was intoxicated, yelled at her for two hours, and that she locked herself in her room out of fear. Zhou insisted that she never tried to pursue a romantic relationship with him. “He used me and denied me and denied our work,” she said.
In a separate interview with the Daily Mail, Zhou shared what she said were WhatsApp messages from Renner. She claimed that when she confronted him about sending explicit photos, he responded with a threat, writing that “immigration will be notified of your—” before cutting the message short. Zhou said this was a threat to call ICE on her.
Zhou said the reason she made the accusations public was to speak up for women who face harassment and intimidation in the entertainment industry.
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