Jeremy Renner caught in storm after filmmaker Yi Zhou accuses him of misconduct

SHAH ALAM - Hollywood drama takes a sharp turn this week as actor Jeremy Renner becomes the centre of a storm, following explosive claims made by Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou.

Renner has firmly rejected every accusation, calling them “totally inaccurate and untrue”, while Yi continued to publish screenshots, photos and statements across social media.

In an unexpected twist worthy of a streaming-series plot, award-winning Renner is now battling allegations that surfaced on social media over the past week.

Yi, a 37-year-old Chinese director, producer and founder of an Italian production company, claimed that her interactions with Renner had turned unsettling.

According to Yi, the Hawkeye star first reached out to her in June.

“Mr Renner first contacted me directly in June, sending personal and intimate photographs of himself, behaviour that, according to public reports, he has exhibited before.

“He convinced me of his sincerity, saying he had been single for a long time and was open to a long-term relationship,” she wrote in her post.

Yi also alleged that the two entered into written agreements involving her company to collaborate on a documentary and an animated film.

She said despite the project's release two weeks ago, Renner had refused to participate in any public promotion regardless of their repeated public and private requests for his support.

She added that he had also denied having any personal connection or professional collaboration through fan accounts.

Her posts also included what appeared to be personal messages, photos of Renner and the hashtag #canceljeremyrenner, which quickly began circulating.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Yi further alleged that a private meeting with the actor left her terrified.

“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.

“I did not say a word, I was so scared for my life,” she claimed.

Renner’s team pushed back strongly, with his representative telling American media outlets People and Variety that the allegations were completely inaccurate and untrue.

According to People, Renner's legal team also issued a cease-and-desist letter to Yi on Nov 7, demanding she end what they described as “defamatory communications” and stop sharing “false, fabricated and salacious lies.”

Yi responded by claiming she had, in fact, already sent him three cease-and-desist letters of her own in the past week, urging him not to make “false statements” about her or her company.

Renner, 54, remained best known for portraying Hawkeye, also known as Clint Barton, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Earlier last year, he made headlines after surviving a near-fatal snowplough accident, a recovery journey that earned widespread public sympathy.

This latest controversy, however, marked a stark shift in the narrative surrounding the actor.