NEED TO KNOW
- Actress Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde) has been arrested following an alleged mid-flight incident.
- Reports allege the actress punched and bit airline staff after an outburst that saw the actress try to open the emergency door while in the air.
- Blair was arrested and taken to hospital following the flight’s arrival at New York City’s JFK International Airport.
- A representative for Blair released a statement attributing the actor’s behaviour to an unexpected “medical emergency”.
Actress Selma Blair has reportedly been arrested and hospitalised following a chaotic mid-air incident onboard a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to New York City.
According to law enforcement, the 54-year-old Cruel Intentions star was taken into custody late Sunday night (local time) after flight attendants were allegedly forced to restrain her during the flight.
What Happened On Selma Blair’s Flight?
The incident occurred onboard a Delta Airlines flight from LA to NYC’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Sources report Blair became physically disruptive mid-flight, with allegations stating she attempted to open an emergency exit door while the flight was in the air.
During the altercation, two flight attendants reportedly sustained injuries. Blair is accused of punching one crew member and biting another. Upon landing at JFK Airport, law enforcement were waiting for Blair, where she was subsequently arrested and taken to the hospital for medical evaluation.
The FBI are investigating, as all aircraft incidents fall under its jurisdiction.
“Yesterday, we were informed by our partners at Port Authority Police Department of a potential assault aboard a flight that arrived into JFK. As per long-standing DOJ [Department of Justice] policy, we do not comment on ongoing investigations,” FBI New York spokesperson Sydney Kleinmann said.
Selma Blair’s Statement
In response to the news, a representative for Blair released a statement attributing the actor’s behaviour to an unexpected medical emergency.
“Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct. Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition,” her rep told Page Six.
Neither her legal team nor her representatives have specified the nature of the emergency. Blair has been notably open in recent years about her ongoing battle with multiple sclerosis (MS) following her diagnosis in 2018. Though no formal connection between her MS and the incident has been made by medical professionals, clinical studies–including a paper by the Journal of Neurological Sciences–show the disease can directly affect emotional regulation, impulse control and sudden mood shifts due to neurological changes.
Prior Flight Incidents
This is not the first time the actress has faced public scrutiny over an incident on an aircraft. In 2016, Blair was removed from a commercial flight from Cancun to Los Angeles after a mid-flight outburst.
She later issued a public apology for the incident, explaining she had mistakenly mixed alcohol with prescription medication, leading her to behave erratically.
“I mixed alcohol with medication, and that caused me to black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret…I am a flawed human being who makes mistakes and am filled with shame over this incident,” she shared at the time.
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