Actor Selma Blair was arrested in New York after an incident aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to John F. Kennedy International Airport, leading to allegations involving flight attendants, a Port Authority police officer and a hospital nurse.
Blair, 54, was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on two counts of second-degree assault stemming from alleged incidents that occurred after the aircraft landed. A judge set bail at $20,000 cash or $60,000 bond, according to reporting by the Associated Press and CBS New York. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2027.
What happened on the flight
The episode began aboard Delta Flight 938 from Los Angeles International Airport to JFK. Port Authority police said two flight attendants reported injuries following an encounter with a passenger identified as Blair. CBS New York reported, citing a law-enforcement source, that one attendant was bitten and another suffered a laceration.
The flight crew restrained Blair before landing, according to CBS. Air traffic control audio cited by the outlet indicated that medical personnel were requested at the gate for injured crew members and for the disruptive passenger, who was also reported to have hit her head.
Port Authority police and the FBI responded after the plane arrived at JFK. Blair was then transported to Jamaica Hospital for evaluation.
The New York assault charges
The two state assault charges are tied to alleged conduct after the flight landed, rather than directly to the reported confrontation with the flight attendants.
According to charging details reported by the Associated Press, Blair is accused of repeatedly kicking a Port Authority police officer in the face, neck and chest while authorities were transporting her for medical care. The officer reported pain and swelling.
Prosecutors also allege that Blair later kicked a registered nurse in the chest at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center while she was receiving treatment. That alleged encounter forms the basis of the second assault count.
Blair has not been convicted of any offense. The charges are allegations, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Federal authorities are also reviewing the case
The FBI became involved because some of the alleged conduct occurred aboard a commercial aircraft.
CBS New York reported that Blair received a federal summons related to alleged assaults within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. That matter is separate from the two New York state assault charges.
Delta Air Lines said it has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior and that the safety of passengers and crew is its priority.
Blair’s attorney cites a medical emergency
Blair’s representatives have said the incident occurred during what they described as a medical emergency.
Her attorney said Blair received medical attention after arriving in New York and was stable. The Associated Press reported that her defense also pointed to missed medication, fatigue, a head injury during the flight and disorientation as factors relevant to her condition that night.
Those statements are part of Blair’s defense account and have not been established as the legal cause of the alleged conduct.
Blair has publicly discussed living with multiple sclerosis since disclosing her diagnosis in 2018. There is no basis at this stage to independently attribute the alleged conduct to MS itself.
She was traveling with her service dog, Scout, who was later placed in the care of her attorney, according to CBS New York.
A previous in-flight episode
The arrest has also renewed attention on a separate 2016 in-flight incident involving Blair. She later apologized for that episode and said it followed a combination of alcohol and medication. The circumstances were different and should not be treated as evidence regarding the current criminal allegations.
Blair is known for roles in Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde, The Sweetest Thing and the Hellboy films. She has also become a prominent advocate for people living with disabilities.
Hollywood Most Wanted will update this story as court filings, law-enforcement records or additional official information become available.