Actor Selma Blair was detained following a flight from Los Angeles to New York for allegedly being physically aggressive and causing harm to two flight attendants, authorities confirmed Monday. Blair, aged 54, was apprehended late Sunday night after the Delta Air Lines aircraft had arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport and was at the gate, as stated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The airline did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
Both Blair and one of the flight attendants were transported to the hospital for assessments, according to the port authority. The FBI, which handles investigations of assaults on flights, declined to disclose further information.
Sydney Kleinmann, a spokesperson for the FBI NY, stated, “Yesterday, we were notified by our partners at Port Authority Police Department about a potential assault on a flight that landed at JFK. As per the Department of Justice policy, we refrain from commenting on ongoing investigations.”
Efforts to obtain comments from state and federal prosecutors’ offices in New York were unsuccessful. Similarly, a message seeking comment from Blair’s publicist went unanswered.
A representative for Blair cited a medical emergency as the cause of the alleged behavior in a statement to various media outlets. Blair, known for her roles in films like “Cruel Intentions,” “Legally Blonde,” and “Hellboy,” has been a vocal advocate for disability rights after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018. In 2023, she stood alongside then-president Joe Biden at the White House to commemorate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In 2016, Blair issued an apology for statements she made on a flight from Cancun to Los Angeles, attributing her behavior to a mix of alcohol and medication that led to a blackout.