'What a Blessing': Jeremy Renner Returns To Skis As He Breaks Silence On Yi Zhou 'Misconduct' Claims

Three years after a snowplow crushed him on New Year's Day and left him fighting for his life, Jeremy Renner strapped on skis at Mount Rose-Ski Tahoe on Monday and did something he wasn't sure he'd ever do again.

The 54-year-old actor, who broke more than 30 bones in the 2023 accident, used his first day back on the slopes to announce that Mayor of Kingstown has been renewed for a fifth and final season at Paramount+.

'I find myself in deep gratitude this gorgeous morning,' Renner wrote on Instagram. 'After a rebirth, today announcing a renewal of @mayorofkingstown season 5... what a blessing.'

The moment of triumph arrives as the Oscar-nominated star navigates serious misconduct allegations from filmmaker Yi Zhou, claims he has firmly denied.

For Renner, the timing feels serendipitous, arriving just as his return to the sport that once nearly claimed his life demonstrates an actor determined to reclaim normalcy.

In his accompanying video message, he checked in casually: 'What's happening? I thought I'd check in.' He then shared an unexpectedly poignant detail—he had crossed paths with the CareFlight pilot who flew him to the hospital on 1 January 2023, the day of his devastating accident.

The Road To Recovery

On that New Year's Day three years ago, Renner's world collapsed in an instant. He exited a 14,000-pound PistenBully snowplough near his Mount Rose home without engaging the emergency brake.

The vehicle crushed him, fracturing dozens of bones and inflicting severe internal injuries as hospital stays stretched into weeks. Rehabilitation became his full-time occupation. Yet approximately one year after the accident, he returned to the set of 'Mayor of Kingstown', the gritty crime series created by Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon, proving that physical recovery could align with professional determination.

His return to skiing now carries deeper symbolic weight, speaking to something beyond mere athletic rehabilitation.

In his Instagram post, Renner acknowledged the driving force behind both his recovery and professional renewal: fan support. 'And it's all because of the amazing, dedicated fans. Thank you,' he wrote, recognising the community that sustained him through trauma.

The announcement of season five, though bittersweet given it marks the show's final chapter, reinforces Renner's status as a working actor fully committed to his craft.

Allegations Cloud The Comeback Narrative

However, Renner's return to public prominence coincides with serious allegations that have tested his resilience anew.

Filmmaker Yi Zhou has claimed in social media posts that the actor engaged in misconduct, alleging he sent her intimate photographs and describing an encounter that left her frightened enough to lock herself in a room.

Zhou shared her account across Instagram, using hashtags including '#CancelJeremyRenner' and describing the experience as exposing 'the dark side of Hollywood and the smear campaign to deter women and Asian female filmmakers.'

She told Daily Mail that an August meeting to discuss a documentary project turned frightening after Renner consumed wine, describing his behaviour as 'violent.'

Renner's representatives have firmly denied these allegations. A spokesperson told Variety: 'The allegations being made are totally inaccurate and untrue.'

His attorney, Marty Singer, issued a cease-and-desist letter in November, characterising the encounter as a 'brief consensual' one from July.

The letter claims Zhou subsequently pursued a romantic or sexual relationship, which Renner rebuffed, and alleges she sent hundreds of messages afterwards. Singer's correspondence warned Zhou against exploiting Renner's name in any project beyond a Disney documentary without consent.

Prior to these allegations, the two had collaborated professionally, with Zhou directing 'Chronicles of Disney', an independent documentary in which Renner appears.

The dispute raises complex questions about professional boundaries, consent, and the credibility of the contested accounts—matters that remain unresolved and are disputed by both parties. As Renner celebrates his physical and professional comeback, these allegations complicate his narrative.