Jeremy Renner, known for his role in Hawkeye, has struck back against Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou, denying her claims of a romantic relationship and sending her a cease-and-desist letter. Renner asserted that Zhou had persistently pursued him and sent explicit messages.
According to TMZ on November 8, Renner admitted he initially agreed to appear in Zhou’s documentary Chronicles of Disney but said she made the first move when they met in July last year. He acknowledged a brief consensual encounter but stated he told Zhou in August that he had no interest in a sexual relationship and let her stay in the guest room that night.
Renner further claimed that on the way to the airport after their August collaboration, Zhou attempted physical contact again and later bombarded him with explicit messages demanding intimacy. One message allegedly read that she desperately wanted him and contained graphic sexual language, while another referenced his body directly.
Renner’s attorney emphasized that he clarified to Zhou they were nothing more than colleagues after their single consensual encounter. Zhou’s claim that Renner narrated her AI-based animated film was also refuted by his team, confirming he never participated in such a project.
Renner warned that if Zhou continued spreading false and salacious allegations or exploiting his name and image, she could face multimillion-dollar damages. Zhou previously told the Daily Mail that Renner had persistently pursued her and sent intimate photos and videos, leading her to start a relationship with him.
