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.
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
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.
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.