Actress Selma Blair released a video apology on Friday, speaking publicly for the first time since her arrest following an alleged mid-air disruption earlier this month.
In a clip shared to her Instagram account, the 54-year-old star addressed her followers directly about the Oct. 11 incident aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York. Blair explained that her legal counsel advised her against discussing the particulars of the case, but emphasized that she felt compelled to apologize.
“There is a legal matter going on and my lawyers have asked me to not say anything about that day, and I’m listening to them. I take this very seriously,” Blair said. “What I can tell you, though, is very simple and the truest thing I know about myself. Not one day ever have I intended to hurt or frighten anyone a day in my life.”
Blair added: “And so to the people that I disappointed, that I hurt, that I frightened, alarmed. I am so sorry.”
Allegations aboard Delta flight
Authorities took Blair into custody on Oct. 11 after the cross-country flight touched down in New York. According to emergency dispatch audio obtained by Page Six, the cockpit crew radioed ahead to request police and medical personnel for an abusive traveler, reporting that one flight attendant suffered a bloody nose and another sustained visible bite marks.
Port Authority officials stated that two crew members sustained injuries during the trip, with one requiring hospital care, NBC News reported. The Daily Mail reported that Blair was also accused of trying to open an aircraft exit door while airborne.
Delta Air Lines addressed the situation in a statement to news outlets, emphasizing that the carrier maintains “zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first.”
Assault charges and defense claims
The criminal charges Blair faces stem primarily from events that occurred after the plane landed. Prosecutors charged her with two counts of second-degree assault, alleging that she kicked a Port Authority police officer repeatedly in the head inside an ambulance and later kicked a nurse at the hospital.
Blair pleaded not guilty during an arraignment on Oct. 12 and was released on bail, according to NBC News. If convicted on the charges, she could face between two and seven years in prison, Page Six reported.
Her defense attorney, Shawn Barnes, argued in court that the altercation was neither willful nor intentional. Barnes explained that Blair, who went public with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018, had missed multiple doses of critical neurological medicine prior to traveling. The attorney told the court that exhaustion from working extended hours on a production set, combined with cabin altitude and an accidental head strike when Blair fell during the flight, triggered severe disorientation.
“This was not an intentional assault,” Barnes stated during the court appearance.
Focusing on recovery
In Friday’s video, Blair expressed gratitude to friends and fans who sent supportive messages, noting that her service dog, Scout, is doing well. She stated that she plans to dedicate her time to her medical well-being and her teenage son, Arthur.
Court proceedings in the case have been adjourned until Jan. 19, according to the district attorney’s office.
