Jonathan Majors' ex-girlfriend sues actor alleging defamation, battery a year after his arrest
Jonathan Majors faces more legal backlash for his alleged "history of domestic abuse" against ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, who accused the former Marvel star of battery, assault and defamation in a new lawsuit.
Jabbari, who testified against the 34-year-old "Creed III" and "Lovecraft Country" actor in a high-profile assault and harassment case last year, filed her lawsuit in New York federal court on Tuesday. She also accused the actor of intentional infliction of emotional distress and malicious prosecution, according to legal documents reviewed by The Times.
"This case arises from a pattern of pervasive domestic abuse that began in 2021 and extended through 2023," the complaint says. "The totality of the circumstances and history of the domestic abuse are pertinent to understanding the severity of Grace Jabbari's damages."
Read more:Jonathan Majors accused of abuse by two more women, troubling behavior on 'Lovecraft Country'
In a statement shared with The Times, Jabbari's attorney Brittany Henderson said the movement coach's "resolve has never wavered" and praised her client's "tremendous bravery in her quest for accountability."
The statement continued: "This action will shed light on the truth, bringing her the finality and justice that she deserves."
In response to Jabbari's lawsuit, Majors' attorney Priya Chaudhry told The Times the complaint "is no surprise" and that the actor's legal team is "preparing counterclaims against Ms. Jabbari."
Multiple incidents of Majors' alleged abuse against Jabbari are at the core of her lawsuit. Jabbari met the "Last Black Man in San Francisco" breakout star in August 2021 on the set of Marvel's "Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania" in London. She served as a movement coach and he starred as franchise villain Kang.
According to the complaint, Majors started showing "concerning behavior" shortly after he and Jabbari began dating. His aggressive attitude against his then-girlfriend began to escalate, the lawsuit says, until he allegedly attacked her for the first time in July 2022. Among the alleged incidents detailed in Jabbari's complaint is the March 2023 dispute that spiraled into the the actor's highly publicized, months-long domestic violence case.
Read more:Hollywood insiders on Jonathan Majors' future: Public missteps 'made a bad situation worse'
Majors was arrested on March 25, 2023, over a confrontation with Jabbari during a car ride in Manhattan the previous night. The case played out in court as Manhattan prosecutors contemplated Majors' alleged “cruel and manipulative pattern of psychological and physical abuse” and his defense claimed Jabbari's allegations were part of her efforts to “ruin Jonathan Majors and take away everything he has spent his whole life working for.”
Majors was convicted of assault and harassment on Dec. 18, but also acquitted of an additional assault charge and aggravated harassment.
Jabbari's lawsuit also takes issue with Majors' interview with ABC News, which aired less than a month after his conviction. She alleges that during the interview he "intentionally made knowingly false statements" about the events of their March 2023 dispute, accusing him and his legal representative of defamation.
Read more:Jonathan Majors sentencing postponed to April after assault, harassment conviction
"The false statements that Majors made personally, and through his authorized agent Chaudhry, not only called Plaintiff’s truthfulness and integrity into question, but also exposed her to public hatred, contempt, ridicule, and disgrace," the lawsuit says.
Jabbari requested a jury trial and is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
Majors, facing up to a year in prison, is set to be sentenced on April 8. The sentencing, initially set for February, was delayed to resolve defense motions.
Times researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
