Emmy-nominated actor Jonathan Majors has been dropped from Marvel Studios after being found guilty of assaulting his then-girlfriend.
On Monday, a New York jury found Majors, 34, attacked and harassed British choreographer Grace Jabari during an argument in March.
Following the ruling, a Marvel spokesperson said the studio would no longer work with the actor.
When he is sentenced in February, Major could face up to a year in prison.
This marks a surprising downfall for a leading Hollywood actor who was expected to appear in multiple Marvel movies.
Majors played the villain Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel movies. He appeared in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumia” last February, and also appears in the Disney+ series “Loki,” which is currently in its second season.
Marvel had already postponed the release date of Avengers: Kung Dynasty, in which he was scheduled to star. He was scheduled to reprise his role in the sequel film Avengers: Secret Wars.
It is unclear whether Marvel Studios intends to replace him with another actor or write his character out of the film.
according to hollywood reporter, Marvel has already hired the creator of Loki to rewrite a draft of the film, which was expected to be titled Kung Dynasty. A source told the media that the new working title for the movie is “Avengers 5.”
Magazine Dreams, a new movie starring Majors, had been touted as an Oscar contender, but its release was postponed after Majors’ arrest.
The US military also removed the Creed III star from a major advertising campaign after the news broke.
His ex-girlfriend, Jabari, suffered a broken finger, bruises and a cut behind her ear after the couple had an argument over the phone inside a rental car in New York City.
Jurors were shown CCTV footage of the assault.
The incident occurred when Ms Jabari saw a text message on Majors’ cell phone from another woman saying, “I wish I had kissed you right now.”
When Jabari tried to get his phone back, he grabbed his then-girlfriend, twisted her arm behind her back and punched her in the head, Jabari testified.
He was found guilty of reckless assault causing bodily harm and harassment.
But the jury acquitted him of charges of aggravated harassment and assault with intent to cause bodily harm.
text message
Prosecutors argued that the assault was an escalation of Mr. Majors’ attempts to “control” his girlfriend through physical and psychological violence. The jury was shown audio recordings and text messages between the former couple.
“I’m a monster. I’m a terrible man. I can’t love,” the actor texted in September 2022, threatening suicide.
In audio of the argument that month, Majors tells Jabari that he needs to act like Coretta Scott King and Michelle Obama, the wives of Martin Luther King Jr. and former President Barack Obama. Told.
“I’m doing great things, not just for myself, but for the culture and the world,” she said, adding that she would have to “make sacrifices” for him.
Jabari’s lawyer, Brittany Henderson, said her client had shown “irrefutable strength and composure both in court and in public, even as she was forced to relive the abuse she suffered.”
“Her unwavering determination to see this case through to its conclusion stems from her desire to show other survivors and victims of domestic violence that they can hold their abusers accountable.” she said in a statement to the PA news agency. .
A statement released by Majors’ attorney after his conviction said that Majors continues to believe in his innocence, “still has faith in the process, and looks forward to fully clearing his name.” .
The verdict will be handed down on February 6th. The judge also issued a new protection order, barring him from contacting Jabari.
