Actor Jeremy Renner faced new controversy in November 2025 after filmmaker Yi Zhou publicly accused the 54-year-old star of sending her unsolicited sexual messages and allegedly threatening to report her to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Renner strongly rejected the claims, responding with a cease-and-desist letter and allegations of his own against Zhou.
Yi Zhou, 37, is a Chinese-born director, writer, producer and model with a long-standing presence in the film and arts world. A graduate of the London School of Economics, Zhou has worked across Europe, China and the United States for nearly two decades. She is known for her documentary Between Stars and Scars: Masters of Cinema and has appeared in campaigns and editorial spreads for Vogue, Uomo Vogue, Elle, and Vogue China Beauty, among other global fashion publications.
Zhou is also an entrepreneur. In 2019, she launched the lifestyle and fashion brand Global Intuition. In addition, she has founded entertainment companies, including Into the Sun, which has operations in the U.S. and Italy.
According to Zhou’s claims, she and Jeremy Renner began communicating in the summer of 2025, during which she alleges the actor sent her sexual messages and expressed interest in pursuing a relationship. In social media posts made public in November, Zhou stated that Renner had told her he was “open to a long-term relationship” and that she believed his intentions were genuine.
However, Zhou said the situation changed when she confronted him privately about what she referred to as past behavioral concerns. In her account, Jeremy Renner responded by allegedly threatening to call ICE on her.
“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,” Zhou wrote.
Renner sharply denied the accusations. His legal representative, attorney Marty Singer, issued a cease-and-desist letter shortly after Zhou made her allegations public. In the letter, Singer asserted that Zhou had pursued Renner romantically and that when she allegedly attempted to initiate physical contact again in August 2025, Renner refused and ensured she stayed in a guest room during their last meeting.
Singer further claimed that Zhou had sent Jeremy Renner explicit sexual messages and stated that the actor was considering legal action over what he described as defamatory allegations.
Renner acknowledged that he and Zhou had a “brief consensual encounter,” but said the relationship ended when he declined further involvement.
While Jeremy Renner denied any ongoing romantic relationship, he confirmed that he met Zhou as part of discussions surrounding her documentary Chronicles of Disney. According to his account, their interaction was limited, consensual and ended in mid-2025. Zhou, however, has continued to describe the connection as meaningful and emotionally significant.
This is not the first time Renner has faced public scrutiny regarding his personal conduct. The actor previously went through a contentious custody dispute with ex-wife Sonni Pacheco, with whom he shares his daughter, Ava. The pair were married from 2014 to 2015.
In filings made four years after their divorce, Pacheco requested physical custody of Ava and sought supervised visitation for Renner. She also accused him of threatening behavior, including allegedly threatening to harm her and himself. Jeremy Renner denied those allegations, and a representative stated that the actor’s priority has always been the well-being of his daughter, calling Pacheco’s claims “a one-sided account made with a specific goal in mind.”
As of now, no legal charges have been filed in connection with Zhou’s claims, and neither party has disclosed whether further legal actions are underway. Representatives for both sides have indicated that additional statements may follow depending on developments.
This situation continues to evolve, drawing public attention due to both Jeremy Renner’s high-profile status and Zhou’s growing presence in international film and fashion circles.
