“This is what happens to Black people all too often”: Jonathan Majors Won’t Win Over Any Fans With His Award Speech After Getting Convicted for Assault

Following his firing from Marvel due to a conviction for domestic assault, Jonathan Majors took center stage at the Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards on Friday evening. There, he received the Perseverance Award and delivered a long acceptance speech that spanned 17 minutes.

Majors addressed the deeply personal and widely publicized trial that led to his misdemeanor conviction for domestic assault. And to say the least, fans were not happy with his speech.

Jonathan Majors Addresses Domestic Assault Case in Award Speech

During the fourth annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards, hosted by Tiffany Haddish in the grand ballroom of the Beverly Hilton, Kang actor Jonathan Majors gave a speech while receiving recognition.

This event, created by media personality and Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee, celebrates influencers, celebrities, and icons whose contributions have significantly shaped our cultural landscape. In his speech, he stated (via The Hollywood Reporter),

I reckon folks want to know about the last year. As a Black man in the criminal justice system, I felt anger, I felt sadness, hurt, surprise. When they snatched me up out of my apartment in handcuffs, I didn’t feel like all that, I didn’t feel like Jonathan Majors, Mr. Creed, Mr. Kang; I felt like a little scared, weak boy, despite the support and evidence that was in my favor, I knew shit was bad. And it was bad because of who I was and what I am. This is what happens to Black people all too often

In addition to his reflections on his role and representation, Majors also shared heartfelt sentiments about the support he’s received from fellow A-listers behind closed doors. He mentioned receiving midnight texts from Will Smith. He also revealed Tyler Perry and David Oyelowo have consistently provided him with support and affection. Deon and Rebecca Taylor, Courtney B. Vance, and Whoopi Goldberg were a few other name-drops in his speech.

What Was Jonathan Majors Convicted Of?

Last year, Majors faced legal consequences after being convicted of reckless assault and harassment following a confrontation with his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. The incident led to the actor’s arrest, and several accusations including those of assault and strangulation. Majors was acquitted of a second assault charge and aggravated harassment, with the court determining that while he did not intend to harm Jabbari, his actions during the altercation constituted harassment.

The actor claimed that his actions were defensive, explaining that he was reacting to Jabbari grabbing his phone in a taxi. These events received significant media attention.

Following the highly-publicized case, he was sentenced in April to participate in a 52-week, in-person domestic violence intervention program as part of his legal repercussions. The court decision also led to Majors’ firing from the MCU.