Actress Selma Blair is facing federal charges following an alleged assault on a Delta Airlines flight, during which she reportedly punched and bit crew members. The incident, which occurred on a flight from Los Angeles to New York City, has drawn comparisons to a similar episode from 2016, which Blair described as a "total psychotic blackout."
According to reports, the latest incident occurred on Sunday, October 11. Blair allegedly punched one flight attendant, bit another, and attempted to open the aircraft's door mid-flight. The flight was rerouted and landed ahead of schedule at John F. Kennedy International Airport, where law enforcement was waiting. Blair was subsequently arrested and taken to a hospital for evaluation. She also faces state charges for allegedly assaulting a Port Authority police officer and a nurse after her arrival at the hospital.
Blair's representative stated that the actress experienced a medical emergency that led to her alleged conduct and that she was in stable condition after receiving medical attention. Delta Airlines issued a statement condemning the behavior, emphasizing its "zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior" and prioritizing the safety of its passengers and crew. The FBI is investigating the incident.
This is not the first time Blair has been involved in a mid-air disturbance. In June 2016, while traveling from Cancun, Mexico, to Los Angeles with her then-4-year-old son and his father, Blair reportedly began crying and making alarming statements. Witnesses at the time reported that she made accusations of abuse, stating, "He burns my private parts. He won’t let me eat or drink." She also reportedly said, "He beats me. He’s going to kill me."
Two nurses aboard the 2016 flight attempted to assist Blair, while the pilot notified authorities about a passenger who might have combined alcohol and medication. Upon landing in Los Angeles, medical personnel met the plane and transported Blair from the aircraft on a stretcher to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Following the 2016 incident, Blair took responsibility, admitting in a statement to Vanity Fair that she had mixed alcohol with medication, leading to a blackout. "I made a big mistake yesterday," she said at the time. "I take this very seriously, and I apologize to all of the passengers and crew that I disturbed." She expressed shame over the incident, noting her son had been asleep during the episode.
Months later, on an appearance on "The Talk," Blair referred to the 2016 event as a "total psychotic blackout." She explained that she rarely drank and had stopped, but was going through a difficult time. She stated she had consumed a glass of wine and mistakenly took a pill she believed to be familiar but was actually something different, describing the experience as "horrible and frightening."
In 2024, Blair revisited the 2016 incident in an interview with Us Weekly, calling it "horrifying and humiliating." She mentioned not understanding her neurological issues at the time. Blair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 and later announced in 2021 that she was in remission from the disease.