The trial of actor Jonathan Majors, known for his roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, began with jury selection on Wednesday in New York City. Majors, who has pleaded not guilty, faces misdemeanor charges of harassment and assault against his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
The incident in question occurred on the night of March 25, when Jabbari accused Majors of physical assault during a car ride to his apartment. Allegations include slapping Jabbari, forcibly throwing her into the car, and causing injuries to her hand, head, and neck. She subsequently received hospital treatment for minor injuries, including a cut to her ear.
Majors, a Yale drama graduate, has risen to prominence with roles in movies like Creed III and the series Lovecraft Country. He also portrays the villain Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel franchise, appearing in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the Loki series on Disney+.
However, following these allegations, Majors’ career has faced significant setbacks. He has been dropped from several in-development Hollywood movies and at least one completed film, Magazine Dreams, has postponed its release. Additionally, Majors has reportedly been removed from an advertising campaign and has lost representation from his management and publicist.
The trial date has been subject to multiple delays as Majors’ defense team, led by attorney Priya Chaudhry, attempts to mitigate the legal repercussions of the altercation. Chaudhry has publicly labeled Jabbari as a liar and alleged she was drinking after the incident. In June, Majors filed a complaint against Jabbari, claiming she attacked him.
In August, Chaudhry stated that Majors had reported enduring abuse from Jabbari and that the New York Police Department was prepared to arrest her upon her return to New York.
Indeed, Jabbari was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief. However, the Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to pursue her case, citing a lack of prosecutorial merit.
Majors’ defense team appears to be banking on his charisma to influence the jury’s decision. This perception was bolstered by a TMZ video released in September, showing Majors apparently intervening in a fight between two teenagers, though it faced criticism as a potential public relations maneuver.
Jabbari, a movement coach based in London who previously worked with Majors, is expected to testify in the trial. If convicted, Majors could face up to a year in prison.
