Actor Selma Blair has been charged with assault following an alleged altercation aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York, with further accusations involving a police officer and a nurse after the plane landed at JFK Airport.
The Legally Blonde star, 54, appeared in a Queens court on Monday after being detained late Sunday night. Authorities said they responded to reports of a “physically abusive passenger” aboard the flight. US media reports allege Blair punched one flight attendant, bit another and attempted to open the aircraft door.
Blair and one of the flight attendants were taken to hospital following the incident. According to court documents, a police officer transporting the actor to Jamaica Hospital Medical Centre alleged that Blair broke free from the straps securing her to a stretcher and repeatedly kicked her in the face, neck and chest. A nurse later accused Blair of kicking her in the chest while being moved through the hospital.
Blair pleaded not guilty to two state assault charges relating to the alleged attacks on the officer and nurse. A judge set bail at $20,000 in cash or $60,000 bond, with her next hearing scheduled for January. She also faces separate federal charges stemming from the incident aboard the aircraft, with a court appearance date yet to be announced. A prosecutor told the court that conviction on the most serious state charge could carry a prison sentence of up to seven years.
Her legal team disputes the suggestion that the alleged assaults were intentional. Lawyer Shawn Barnes said Blair experienced a medical emergency, claiming her multiple sclerosis and Parkinsonism, a neurological condition affecting movement, combined with a head injury during the flight, left her severely confused and disorientated. He also said she had been working heavily and missed several doses of medication before travelling.
“We do not believe that this is an intentional assault,” Barnes said in court on Monday.
Delta Air Lines said it has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behaviour, stressing that passenger and crew safety comes first. Air traffic control audio reported by NBC News indicated that a flight attendant and a passenger had sustained minor injuries, including a bloody nose and bite marks.
Blair rose to prominence with Cruel Intentions in 1999, followed by Legally Blonde in 2001 and Hellboy in 2004. The allegations remain subject to the legal process, with the state and federal cases proceeding separately.
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Last modified: October 13, 2026
