Selma Blair has apologized in an emotional video posted to Instagram on Friday, 30 October, breaking nearly three weeks of silence since her arrest on 11 October after an incident on a Delta flight to New York. The 54-year-old actress said she never intended to hurt or frighten anyone, and apologized to the people she disappointed, hurt, frightened or alarmed.
The video is the first time Blair has spoken about the incident in her own words. Her lawyers had advised her not to discuss the case while legal proceedings are under way, and she said she is taking the matter very seriously. The story is the top trending search in the United States today, as people look for what she actually said and what happens next.
What Selma Blair said in the video
Blair opened the video by explaining why she had stayed quiet. “Hi, it’s me. I know I’ve been quiet for a couple of weeks since October 11, and you deserve to hear from me directly. I’m sorry that it’s taken this long,” she said. “There is a legal matter going on, and my lawyers have asked me not to say anything about that day. I’m listening to them, and I take this very seriously.”
She then spoke about her intentions in plain terms: “What I can tell you, though, is very simple, and the truest thing I know about myself: not one day ever have I intended to hurt or frighten anyone a day in my life.”
Her apology followed directly: “And so, to the people that I disappointed, that I hurt, that I frightened, alarmed, I am so sorry.” She thanked the people who had written, called or sent messages of love and support, saying it had meant everything to her and her son, Arthur Saint Bleick. She said her service dog, Scout, who was on the flight with her, is also OK.
“Right now, I’m going to be taking care of my health and my son, and thinking of you all with gratitude and love,” she said at the end of the video. Parade’s report on her video notes that she fought back tears as she spoke, and that the video was posted on 30 October, 19 days after the incident.
What happened on the flight
The incident took place on Sunday, 11 October, aboard Delta Flight 938 from Los Angeles to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport. According to Port Authority officials, police responded to reports of a physically abusive passenger after the aircraft arrived at JFK, and Blair was detained at the gate.
Two flight attendants reported injuries from the flight, and one needed further medical treatment. TMZ reported that Blair allegedly punched one flight attendant and bit another, and dispatch audio cited by ABC News said pilots had reported a bloody nose and bite marks before landing. Crew members restrained Blair during the flight, and officers arrested her after the plane landed.
Authorities also allege that Blair kicked a Port Authority police officer in the head inside an ambulance, and later assaulted a nurse at the hospital where she was taken for evaluation. These details come from police accounts and charging documents, and they have not been tested in court. Blair’s representative has said she experienced a medical emergency on the flight, and her team has denied that there was any attempt to open the aircraft door.
Delta told reporters it has “zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first.” It is worth noting that this is not the first time Blair has been involved in a mid-flight incident: in 2016, responders removed her from a plane by stretcher after a similar outburst.
The charges and the next court date
Blair appeared in Queens Criminal Court on Monday, 12 October, and pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree assault. The charges relate to the alleged altercations involving the Port Authority police officer and the nurse at the hospital. She was released on bail the same day.
Her next court date is scheduled for 19 January 2027, according to the Queens district attorney’s office. Separately, the FBI has issued Blair a federal summons for “assault within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,” according to law enforcement sources, because federal law covers assaults aboard aircraft. The FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration are both investigating the incident.
That means two cases are running at once: the state case in Queens, and a separate federal inquiry into what happened on board the plane. Neither has been resolved, and Blair has not been convicted of anything. EntertainmentNow’s account of the apology notes that her attorneys have advised her not to discuss the events on the aircraft while the proceedings continue.
What her team says happened
Blair’s team has consistently described the episode as a medical emergency. In a statement issued on 16 October, her representative said: “Selma experienced a medical emergency on the flight. There was no attempt to open the door of the aircraft. Selma did not intend to harm anyone.”
At her arraignment on 12 October, her attorney, Shawn Barnes, told the court that Blair had missed several doses of medication used to control serious neurological symptoms. According to NBC News, he cited diagnoses of multiple sclerosis and Parkinsonism, and said she had also worked long hours, fallen and hit her head, and that the altitude had left her severely confused and disoriented.
Blair publicly revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018, and later announced in 2021 that she was in remission. Her team has stressed the MS diagnosis as part of her defence, while prosecutors have so far relied on the accounts of the crew, the officer and the nurse. The full record, including crew statements and any video, has not been made public.
Who is Selma Blair
Blair, 54, is best known for her role in Cruel Intentions (1999), and for films including Legally Blonde, The Sweetest Thing and the Hellboy films. She has worked steadily in film and television for more than 25 years, and in recent years she has spoken openly about living with multiple sclerosis, including in her 2022 memoir and in a documentary about her treatment.
What happens next
The next fixed date is 19 January 2027, when Blair is due back in court in Queens. The federal summons is a separate process, and no appearance date for that has been reported.
For readers following the story, the key facts are simple. Blair has apologized and said she never meant to hurt anyone. She has pleaded not guilty to two assault charges. And she has said she will focus on her health and her son. Everything else, including the details of what happened on the plane, is still to be decided in court.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Selma Blair apologize now?
Blair posted the video on 30 October, 19 days after the incident, saying her lawyers had advised her not to speak while the case was under way. She said she wanted to address her fans directly and apologize to anyone she hurt, frightened or disappointed.
What is Selma Blair charged with?
She has pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree assault in Queens, relating to alleged altercations with a Port Authority police officer and a hospital nurse. The FBI has also issued a separate federal summons over the alleged assaults on board the aircraft.
When is Selma Blair’s next court date?
Her next court date is scheduled for 19 January 2027, according to the Queens district attorney’s office.
What does her team say caused the incident?
Her representative says Blair experienced a medical emergency on the flight. Her attorney told the court she had missed several doses of medication for neurological symptoms, had fallen and hit her head, and was confused and disoriented, citing her multiple sclerosis and Parkinsonism diagnoses.
