LOS ANGELES, Nov 9 — Actor Jeremy Renner and filmmaker Yi Zhou are engaged in a legal dispute involving conflicting accounts of their personal and professional interactions, including work on two upcoming film projects.
The 54-year-old actor has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Zhou, 37, denying claims of a romantic relationship and accusing her of making unwanted advances and misusing his name, according to a report by TMZ.
The letter, sent by Renner’s attorney Marty Singer and obtained by TMZ, states that Renner agreed to participate in Zhou’s documentary Chronicles of Disney, but alleges that Zhou initiated personal contact during their first meeting in July.
Renner claims they had a “brief consensual encounter” and that he later made clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship.
Zhou responded on Instagram and in interviews, saying she had sent Renner three cease-and-desist letters of her own and accused him of misconduct, including sending messages that caused her “discomfort and distress.”
Yi Zhou said she had sent Renner three cease-and-desist letters of her own and accused him of misconduct, including sending messages that caused her ‘discomfort and distress.’ — Picture via Instagram/yizhouofficial
She also alleged that Renner threatened to call immigration authorities on her, writing, “he even threatened to call ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) on me.”
Zhou said Renner’s actions have negatively impacted their joint projects, including Masters of Cinema: Chronicles of Disney and the upcoming animated feature Stardust Future, which she said are committed to charitable causes, including Renner’s.
She further claimed that Renner changed his social media profile picture and logged out of WhatsApp to deny sending messages, adding, “a scam account wouldn’t have 19.9 million followers reposting some of my content.”
Renner claims they had a ‘brief consensual encounter’ and that he later made clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship. — Picture via Instagram/jeremyrenner
Renner denies any ongoing romantic involvement and warned Zhou against spreading “salacious lies” or exploiting his name and likeness.
Renner is best known for his role as Hawkeye in Marvel’s Avengers franchise and has received Academy Award nominations for The Hurt Locker and The Town.
Zhou is a Chinese-born multimedia artist and filmmaker who has worked across fashion, film, and digital media, and has collaborated with global brands and institutions on cross-cultural projects.
Both parties continue to dispute the nature of their interactions, and the matter remains unresolved.