Jonathan Majors says he was “shocked” at the guilty verdict and pushes back on claims made against him

Last Updated on January 12, 2024

The Jonathan Majors assault trial finally took place last month. The actor, who was seen recently on season 2 of Marvel Studios’ Loki, had been awaiting trial for most of 2023, and the jury found him guilty of reckless assault in the third degree, which is a misdemeanour, and of harassment in the second degree, which is a violation. The fallout was swift, with the actor’s career grinding to a halt. Majors had started the year with his career flying high after being featured as the villain, Kang, in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and as the opponent in Creed III. He was also ready to release another film, Magazine Dreams, which had already garnered him some acclaim. Monday morning, Majors appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America for his first interview since the whole incident transpired.

THR reports that Majors states he was “shocked at the verdict” from the trial, and when ABC News Live anchor Linsey Davis inquired with Majors where his ex-partner, Grace Jabbari, sustained her injuries displayed in the case, Majors answered, “I wish that I knew.” When it was asked if he was responsible for Jabbari’s injuries, Majors replied, “I shouldn’t have been in the car. I shouldn’t have stepped out of the relationship. I shouldn’t have been in the relationship. If I’m not in the car, none of this is happening.” He was asked again for clarity if he was responsible for her injuries, Majors responded, “Can’t say that. None of her injuries.”

As Majors was found guilty of reckless assault, he pushed back on that claim, saying he was “reckless with her heart. Not with her body.” The actor claims that he has never hit a woman and never participated in domestic abuse in any past relationships. Majors added, “I’ve witnessed it, but never participated.” When Majors was inquired about the audio tapes played in court, which had him saying he was a “great man” and he had urged Jabbari to be more like Michelle Obama or Coretta Scott King, he explained, “It was me trying to give an analogy of what it is I’m aspiring to be. These great men, Martin, President Obama. I need her, in that case, Grace, to make the same sacrifices I am making.”

Majors admits that he had been experiencing suicidal ideations since childhood, and the texts between him and Jabbari would show him expressing these ideations during the more intense times of their relationship. These texts were presented to the court as evidence of emotional abuse. When Majors was asked why he gave this interview, he stated, “A lot has happened. In my personal life, in my career in the culture. It’s about responsibility and coming forward and being brave and giving my part of the story.”