19-12-2023 (NEW YORK) Jonathan Majors, once on the ascent as an emerging Hollywood star, now faces a tarnished reputation and a halted career trajectory. On Monday (Dec 18), the 34-year-old actor was convicted in Manhattan for assaulting his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, and subsequently faced immediate repercussions as Marvel Studios and the Walt Disney Co swiftly dropped him from all upcoming projects.
The Manhattan jury found Majors guilty of one misdemeanour assault charge and one harassment violation related to a March incident in which Jabbari accused him of attacking her in a car, leaving her in “excruciating” pain. While Majors was acquitted of a different assault charge and aggravated harassment, the verdict prompted Marvel and Disney to sever ties with the actor, putting an end to his promising career within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Before the arrest, Majors had been slated for a central role as the antagonist Kang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having appeared in “Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania” and the first two seasons of “Loki.” His role in “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” scheduled for release in May 2026, was also terminated.
Majors, known for his roles in “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” “Devotion,” and “Da 5 Bloods,” had been a rapidly rising star in Hollywood. However, the conviction abruptly halted his momentum. His film “Magazine Dreams,” set to debut at the Sundance Film Festival, was removed from release schedules by Disney-owned distributor Searchlight Pictures.
The actor’s sentencing is scheduled for February 6, and he faces the possibility of up to a year in jail for the assault conviction. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg described the trial as illustrating a “cycle of psychological and emotional abuse” and “escalating patterns of coercion.”
The dispute between Majors and Jabbari began in a chauffeured car and spilled into the streets of Manhattan. Jabbari accused Majors of physical abuse, including hitting her in the head, twisting her arm, and fracturing her middle finger. Majors’ defence argued that she instigated the altercation due to jealousy, attempting to harm his career by spreading falsehoods.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented text messages revealing Majors discouraging Jabbari from seeking hospital treatment for a head injury and played audio of Majors questioning Jabbari’s worthiness compared to the spouses of notable figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama.
Despite Majors’ legal team claiming Jabbari had surreptitiously recorded him as part of a plot to damage his career, the trial brought forth new evidence detailing their troubled relationship. Jabbari described Majors as excessively controlling, prone to explosive rage, and physically threatening.
In her closing arguments, prosecutor Kelli Galaway emphasized the seriousness of domestic violence and debunked Majors’ attempt to cast himself as a victim, stating, “This is not a revenge plot to ruin the defendant’s life or his career. You were asked why you are here? Because domestic violence is serious.”
