Jonathan Majors was convicted on Monday of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, a trial he had hoped would clear his name and revive his standing in Hollywood. However, the outcome was quite the opposite: Marvel Studios and the Walt Disney Co. swiftly severed ties with him following the verdict.
The Manhattan jury found the 34-year-old Majors guilty of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation related to a March incident with his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. According to Jabbari, Majors attacked her in a car, causing her “excruciating” pain, while his defense argued that Jabbari was the aggressor.
Upon hearing the verdict, Majors, who had been acquitted of a separate assault charge and aggravated harassment, remained composed, looking slightly downward and showing no immediate reaction. He chose not to provide any comments as he exited the courthouse.
In a statement, Jonathan Majors’ lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, expressed his continued faith in the legal process and anticipation of completely clearing his name. Despite the conviction on a charge involving recklessly causing injury, Chaudhry highlighted their gratitude for his acquittal on the other assault count, which pertained to intentionally causing injury.
Chaudhry stated, “Mr. Majors is grateful to God, his family, his friends, and his fans for their love and support during these harrowing eight months.”
Following the conviction, Marvel and Disney promptly removed the “Creed III” star from all upcoming projects, as disclosed by an anonymous source close to the studio. The source spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the matter.
Before his arrest, Jonathan Majors was poised to play a pivotal role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the antagonist Kang. He had already featured in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and the first two seasons of “Loki.” His upcoming role in “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” scheduled for release in May 2026, was anticipated to solidify his presence in the franchise.
Majors, known for his roles in “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” “Devotion,” and “Da 5 Bloods,” had rapidly ascended as one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, he also starred in “Magazine Dreams,” portraying a troubled amateur bodybuilder. The film garnered acclaim at its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January and was originally set to open in theaters this month. However, in anticipation of Majors’ trial, the Disney-owned distributor Searchlight Pictures removed “Magazine Dreams” from its release calendar.
Jonathan Majors is scheduled for sentencing on February 6, with the potential penalty for the assault conviction being up to a year in jail, though alternatives such as probation are also conceivable.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, in a statement, remarked that the trial brought to light a “cycle of psychological and emotional abuse, and escalating patterns of coercion.”
The conflict between Majors and Jabbari originated in the backseat of a chauffeured car and subsequently unfolded on the streets of Manhattan. Jabbari, a 30-year-old British dancer, alleged that Majors hit her in the head with an open hand, twisted her arm behind her back, and squeezed her middle finger to the point of fracturing.
Jonathan Majors’ defense asserted that his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, entered a jealous rage after discovering a text message from another woman on his phone. According to his lawyers, Jabbari fabricated a “fantasy” to discredit the actor, who, they argued, was merely attempting to retrieve his phone and exit the situation safely.
Despite Majors’ quest for vindication, the trial uncovered additional details about his troubled relationship with Jabbari, whom he met on the set of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” two years prior.
Prosecutors presented text messages in which Majors pleaded with Jabbari not to seek medical treatment for a previous head injury, cautioning that it could trigger an investigation even if she lied about the circumstances. Additionally, audio recordings were played in which Majors proclaimed himself a “great man” and questioned whether Jabbari could meet the standards set by the spouses of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama. Majors’ defense countered by suggesting that Jabbari had secretly recorded him as part of a plan to “destroy” his career.
During four days of emotional testimony, Jabbari described Majors as excessively controlling and prone to explosive fits of rage that left her physically afraid. She broke down on the witness stand while the jury watched security footage showing Majors pushing her back into the car after the backseat confrontation. Prosecutors characterized the video as depicting Majors “manhandling” and shoving her into the vehicle “as if she was a doll.”
Jonathan Majors, accompanied by family members and his current girlfriend, actress Meagan Good, entered the courtroom each morning carrying a gold-leaf Bible. Despite maintaining an expressionless demeanor for much of the testimony, he wiped away tears when his lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, implored jurors during her closing arguments to “end this nightmare for Jonathan Majors.”
Majors did not testify, but Chaudhry argued that her client was the victim of a series of lies fabricated by Grace Jabbari to seek revenge on an unfaithful partner. Chaudhry referred to security footage captured immediately after the incident, showing Majors sprinting away from Jabbari as she pursued him through the night. According to Chaudhry, Jabbari then joined a group of strangers she had met on the street and went to a dance club, where she ordered drinks using Majors’ credit card and did not appear to be favoring her injured hand.
Chaudhry asserted, “She was revenge-partying and charging Champagne to the man she was angry with and treating these strangers to fancy Champagne she bought with Jonathan’s credit card.”
The following morning, upon discovering Jabbari unconscious in the closet of their Manhattan penthouse, Majors called the police. He was arrested at the scene, while Jabbari was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries to her ear and hand.
Priya Chaudhry, Majors’ lawyer, asserted during her closing arguments that he called 911 out of genuine concern for Grace Jabbari, emphasizing Majors’ fear of the repercussions faced by Black men in America. Chaudhry accused the police and prosecutors of not taking Majors’ claims seriously, including his assertions of being bloodied and scratched during the altercation.
In response, prosecutor Kelli Galaway argued in her closing statements that Majors was employing a common tactic used by abusers to portray their victims as the aggressors. Galaway emphasized that the case was not about a revenge plot to ruin the defendant’s life or career but rather a serious matter of domestic violence.
Galaway stated, “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.”
