Salma Blair talks about the arrest of the plane: "I did not intend to harm anyone"

The actor, who has held several concerts while recovering from MS and returned in 2024 after a social media scandal, pleaded not guilty to assaulting two flight attendants on his trip from Los Angeles to New York earlier this week.

A spokesperson for Salma Blair is speaking out and explaining the actress' side of what happened on a Los Angeles-New York flight earlier this week, where Blair allegedly assaulted two flight attendants, biting one of them, leading to her arrest and charges. Blair also reportedly tried to open the plane's door during the flight.

"Selma Blair experienced a medical emergency on this flight," Blair's rep said in part of the statement (read the full statement below). "There was no attempt to open the plane door. Selma did not intend to harm anyone."

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Blair, who was arrested at JFK and taken to the hospital, is also alleged to have repeatedly kicked the police officer who was taking him to the hospital and kicked a nurse in the chest.

Shawn Barnes, Blair's attorney, said during a court hearing Monday night that his client had missed the medication he administers to treat his MS, and said Blair had worked "long, long hours" before the flight. He also hit his head while boarding the plane.

"These factors, along with the altitude, led to a state of extreme confusion and disorientation," Barnes told the court.

Blair pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault, but separate charges are expected to be filed by the FBI as the agency investigates. All incidents on flights His next court date is Jan. 19, and he reportedly faces two to seven years in prison.

In a statement released Friday, ahead of Blair's scheduled appearance at 90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut, over the weekend, Blair's rep added that in addition to MS, she has a pseudobulbar neurological condition, "which people who don't know medically how directly affects her, saying it's "outrageous for anyone to suggest that Selma doesn't have multiple sclerosis." Because of this, Blair travels with a service dog, her team says: "The authorities took her dog away from her."

Blair's rep also highlighted his busy schedule, stating: "He has worked on seven film and TV projects in 2026 alone, only a few of which have been announced. She has launched a skin care line, a clothing line and an eyeliner line, each of which is based on the idea of ​​beauty and functionality for people whose bodies are always due to infectious diseases and cannot be ignored. community, and this year for the Jewish community in the face of rising anti-Semitism, including from the stage at the ADL art event at the Jewish Museum two weeks ago."

In fact, Blair has landed several acting gigs, including roles in Criminal Minds: Evolution and in the indie films Schmoolie the Deathwatcher and Ethan Almighty, telling ADL audiences that he's practicing anti-Semitism. He's been in recovery for nearly five years thanks to intensive treatment for MS, and he picked up on parts of a 2024 social media scandal that led to career setbacks.

Although Blair had a chaotic experience on a flight from Cancun, Mexico to Los Angeles in 2016, when she started screaming uncontrollably and had to be taken to the hospital for evaluation after a combination of drugs and alcohol, and biting other celebrities Sienna Miller, Seth MacFarlane, and graffiti. His rep notes that he had "never been arrested before Sunday night."

Blair's team also took aim at some reports of the actor's experience earlier this week.

"As of Sunday night, the public account of what happened to Selma on a flight to New York has been built almost entirely on a police statement and a decade-old headline," the representative's statement begins. "A number of journalists have taken the time to report on Selma as a person rather than headlines, and we're grateful for them. But fair reporting has been the exception, and in the remaining space of our silence, speculation has become what passes for fact. We can, however, correct the record on a few points that are already in public circulation."

Rep. Blair concluded, "There is much more to this story than is being reported, and we want to consider the full facts before rushing to judgment, either in court or in the court of public opinion."

The full statement from Blair's spokesman follows.

As of Sunday night, the public account of what happened to Selma during a flight to New York has been built almost entirely on a police statement and a decade-old headline. A handful of journalists have taken the time to report on Selma as a person and not a headline, and we thank them. But fair reporting has been the exception, and in the remaining space of our silence, speculation has become what passes for fact. However, we can correct this record at several points already in public circulation. Salma Blair experienced a medical emergency on this flight. There was no attempt to open the aircraft door. Salma did not intend to hurt anyone. Anyone suggesting that Selma does not have MS is outrageous. His diagnosis has been public since 2018. What Salma has been able to do physically in these years is nothing short of a miracle. He still has bad days and lives with pain every day. Selma also has pseudobulbar affect, a neurological condition secondary to MSO, which is directly related to how she presents a medical course to people who don't know her. Because of this, he travels with a service dog that won't leave his side, and the authorities took his dog away from him. It should be noted that Salma has worked in seven film and television projects in 2026 alone, only a few of which have been announced. She's launched a skincare line, a clothing line, and a line of eyeglasses, each built around the idea of ​​beauty and function for people whose bodies don't always cooperate. He remains an outspoken and relentless advocate for disability rights, for the MS community, and this year for the Jewish community in the face of growing anti-Semitism, including from the scene of the ADL art event at the Jewish Museum two weeks ago. Selma had never been arrested before Sunday night. There is much more to this story than is being reported, and we want to examine the totality of the facts, both in court and in the court of public opinion, before rushing to judgment.