Did Jeremy Renner really send explicit photos to filmmaker? Star slams allegations as ‘totally untrue’

Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner has strongly denied accusations made by Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou, who claimed that the actor sent her unsolicited sexual messages earlier this year.

According to People magazine, Zhou, who previously worked with Renner on the documentary Chronicles of Disney and an animated film, alleged through a series of Instagram posts that the actor sent “a string of unwanted/unsolicited pornographic images of himself” via direct messages and WhatsApp in June. Zhou further claimed that when she confronted him about the matter, Renner “threatened to call immigration/ICE” on her.

What has Jeremy Renner said about the allegations?

A representative for the actor told People, “The allegations are totally inaccurate and untrue.” Renner’s lawyer, Marty Singer, also issued a firm denial, calling the filmmaker’s statements “false, outrageous and highly defamatory.”

Singer claimed that Zhou’s allegations were an act of retaliation after the actor “rejected her romantic advances” and declined to promote her projects on social media.

How did Renner and Zhou first meet?

As reported by People, Singer said that Renner and Zhou first met in July at a hotel in Reno, Nevada, where Renner gave an interview for Zhou’s documentary. He stated that the two shared a “brief consensual encounter.”

The pair reportedly met again in August, but according to the actor’s legal team, Renner has not spoken to her since then. The lawyer added that Renner had chosen to ignore her alleged “sexually explicit messages expressing her love,” the latest of which was supposedly sent on October 24.

What is Renner’s lawyer claiming about harassment?

Addressing Zhou’s claim that Renner threatened to contact immigration authorities, Singer alleged that the filmmaker “had been relentlessly harassing and threatening my client with hundreds of unsolicited and unwanted messages.”

In his statement, Singer added, “The true facts are that Ms. Zhou has relentlessly and aggressively harassed and pursued my client for months with no reciprocation on my client’s part, other than a single brief encounter on July 12, 2025.”

As of now, Zhou has not responded to the claims made by Renner’s representatives.