The actress pleaded not guilty to state assault charges after authorities said flight attendants, a police officer and a nurse were injured.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — Actress Selma Blair was arrested after authorities accused her of becoming physically abusive aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York, injuring two flight attendants before she was taken into custody at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Blair, 54, was detained at about 11 p.m. Sunday after the aircraft reached its gate at JFK, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. One of the two flight attendants who reported injuries was taken to a hospital, and Blair also was transported for medical evaluation. The case later expanded beyond the events aboard the aircraft, with Blair accused of assaulting a Port Authority police officer and a nurse while she was being transported and treated. She pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of second-degree assault in Queens Criminal Court.
Authorities said the incident began aboard Delta flight 938, which had traveled from Los Angeles International Airport to New York. Port Authority police responded after receiving a report of a physically abusive passenger while the jet was parked at the gate. Blair was identified as the passenger and taken into custody. The FBI is also investigating the alleged conduct aboard the aircraft, which falls under federal jurisdiction. Blair faces a separate federal matter tied to what authorities say happened during the flight.
The state charges concern events that allegedly occurred after Blair was removed from the plane. According to charging documents described in court reporting, a Port Authority police officer said Blair pulled one of her legs free while she was being secured to a stretcher and repeatedly kicked the officer around the face, neck and chest. The officer reported pain and swelling. A nurse at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center later accused Blair of kicking her in the chest while she was receiving care. Those allegations form the basis of the two second-degree assault counts filed in Queens.
Blair’s representative said the actress experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct. The representative said she received immediate medical attention after landing and was in stable condition. Blair’s attorneys also argued in court that her actions were not intentional. The allegations have not been proven, and Blair’s not guilty plea means the state must establish its case through the court process.
A judge set bail at $20,000 cash, $60,000 bond or a $60,000 partially secured bond. Blair was later released. Her next state court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2027. Separate proceedings could result from the federal investigation into the events aboard the aircraft, though the final scope of any federal case had not been fully detailed publicly as of Tuesday.
Delta said it has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior and that the safety of passengers and crew members comes first. The airline said the flight reached JFK without an operational disruption. Authorities have not publicly released a full account of what led to the confrontation aboard the plane, and some details circulating about the episode have come from media reports rather than official charging documents.
The incident comes about a decade after Blair experienced another widely reported episode aboard an aircraft. In June 2016, she was removed on a stretcher after becoming distressed during a Delta flight from Cancun, Mexico, to Los Angeles. Blair later apologized and said she had mixed alcohol with medication, causing her to black out and behave in ways she regretted. That earlier episode did not establish what caused Sunday’s incident, and Blair’s representatives have described the latest event separately as a medical emergency.
Blair is known for film roles including “Cruel Intentions,” “Legally Blonde” and “Hellboy.” She has also spoken publicly about living with multiple sclerosis after announcing her diagnosis in 2018. Authorities have not said that her medical condition caused the alleged assaults, while her representatives and lawyers have pointed to a medical episode in explaining her behavior. The criminal charges remain pending, and the investigation into what happened aboard the flight is continuing.
Author note: Last updated October 13, 2026.