Jeremy Renner has officially responded to allegations made against him by a former colleague.
The actor, best known for playing Clint Barton/Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for more than a decade, became the subject of new scrutiny after filmmaker Yi Zhou accused him of sexual misconduct earlier this week. The two worked together on multiple projects, including a documentary and a feature film in development.
Zhou alleged that Renner sent her unsolicited explicit images and presented himself as both a romantic partner and collaborator, before allegedly becoming aggressive during a visit to his home. She said she feared for her safety, locked herself in a room, and shared her location with her team, explaining she believed she was in danger.
Screenshots shared by Zhou appeared to show colleagues urging her to leave the property. She has stated she was “used” professionally and personally, and further alleged that Renner threatened to contact immigration authorities when she confronted him about what she believed was a pattern of mistreatment. She described the experience as an example of “imbalance of power” in the entertainment industry.
Now, Renner has issued a response through his representation.
Jeremy Renner Denies Accusations
Variety reached out to Renner's representative for comment and received the following response.
“The allegations being made are totally inaccurate and untrue.”
Zhou has continued sharing her side of the story across social media platforms since Renner’s denial. On Instagram, she wrote, “The denial is bad conduct given all the documents and communications produced.” She also posted a screenshot of a WhatsApp message featuring a pornographic GIF seemingly sent by Renner.
In separate posts, Zhou shared additional screenshots of messages exchanged between her and friends on the night the alleged incident took place.
She captioned one set of images, “Receipts @nypost @usweekly @rollingstone @nypost, also sharing the room and bath I locked myself in to avoid any more aggression. I chose to stay to finish the project the next day @chroniclesofdisneyofficial @stardustfuturemovie and stupidly believed in the healing power of love and in true love.”
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These allegations arrived several years after Renner was involved in a near-fatal snowplow accident, which left him with more than 30 broken bones and months of intensive rehabilitation. The actor has discussed his recovery publicly, noting that his return to performing action-heavy roles would require extensive physical rebuilding.
Renner also recently said Marvel approached him about returning for a potential second season of Hawkeye, though he claimed the salary offered was “half” of what he had previously received. He suggested his injuries may have influenced the negotiations, but expressed interest in eventually returning to the role once physically ready.
Zhou’s claims also follow past accusations made by Renner’s ex-wife, Sonni Pacheco, who previously alleged abusive behavior during their custody dispute. Renner denied those claims at the time, calling them sensationalized and misleading. The two now share joint custody of their daughter.
As of now, Renner has issued no further statement beyond his representative’s denial. Zhou continues to maintain her account publicly.
