Jeremy Renner has been spotted in public for the first time since facing serious allegations from Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou, who claims the Marvel actor sent explicit photos and threatened to contact immigration authorities about her.
Red Carpet Appearance Amid Controversy
The 54-year-old actor attended amfAR's second annual Las Vegas gala at the Wynn hotel on Friday, where he appeared in good spirits despite the ongoing controversy. Renner, dressed in a black suit and tie with his hair gelled back, smiled for photographers on the red carpet and received the Philanthropic Leadership Award during the event.
The gala, which also attracted celebrities including Ciara, Ava Max, and Chanel Iman, serves as an annual fundraising event for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. Renner's public outing comes directly on the heels of the explosive allegations made by Zhou.
The Explosive Allegations and Denials
Yi Zhou, a 47-year-old Chinese filmmaker who previously collaborated with Renner on a documentary and animated movie, has made several serious claims against the actor. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Zhou alleged that Renner sent her 'intimate photographs' and pornographic videos while attempting to pursue a romantic relationship.
She described frightening incidents where she claimed Renner went on drunken rants that left her fearing for her safety. 'I had to lock myself in a room to be safe praying he would not come into the room at night as he was really angry,' Zhou told the Daily Mail. 'I did not say a word, I was so scared for my life.'
The filmmaker also posted her allegations on Instagram, stating she had 'lived with fear for my safety and deep distress' and accused Renner of misconduct.
Renner's Legal Response and Counterclaims
Jeremy Renner has vehemently denied all allegations through his attorney, Marty Singer, who fired back with a cease-and-desist letter obtained by TMZ. The letter denies Zhou's claims and warns of potential legal action if she continues spreading what Singer called 'false, outrageous and highly defamatory' statements.
According to Renner's version of events through his legal representation, the actor agreed to appear in Zhou's documentary, Chronicles of Disney, but their first meeting in July allegedly turned uncomfortable when Zhou made advances toward him. Renner maintains there was a 'brief consensual encounter' but says he made it clear in August that he wasn't interested in pursuing any further sexual relationship.
The legal letter claims that Zhou continued to pursue Renner aggressively, sending 'hundreds of explicit text messages' and demanding intimacy. Renner's team alleges that Zhou threatened to 'harm him publicly' unless he promoted her documentary and fabricated a romantic connection between them.
The ICE Threat Allegation
One of the most serious allegations involves Zhou's claim that Renner threatened to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on her. She told the Daily Mail that when she privately confronted him about sending explicit photos, he reportedly threatened to contact immigration authorities.
The Daily Mail obtained a screenshot of alleged WhatsApp texts between Zhou and Renner, where she calls him a 'pig' and accuses him of using 'apps to send d**k pix'. Renner's alleged response reads: 'Immigration will be notified of your-' with the rest of the message cut off. Zhou refused to provide the complete message to the publication.
Zhou wrote in her Instagram posts: '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, an act that deeply shocked and frightened me.'
Professional Fallout and Legal Warnings
The controversy stems from their professional collaboration on two projects: a documentary about Disney workers called Chronicles of Disney, in which Renner was a key interviewee, and an animated feature called Stardust Future for which he performed voiceover work.
Zhou claims the relationship soured when Renner failed to publicly promote their collaborative projects on social media. Renner's attorney argues that Zhou is retaliating because the actor 'rejected her romantic advances' and didn't promote her work as she had hoped.
The cease-and-desist letter warns that if Zhou doesn't stop spreading 'false, fabricated and salacious lies,' she could face significant legal consequences, including potentially millions of dollars in damages.
As both parties maintain their conflicting versions of events, Renner's appearance at the amfAR gala marks his first public step forward since the allegations surfaced, showing the actor continuing with his professional commitments despite the personal controversy.
