Embattled Jonathan Majors receives perseverance award
Published:Monday | June 24, 2024 | 12:06 AM
Jonathan Majors’ faith has been “tested” but “strengthened” by his assault and harassment convictions.
The Creed III actor, 34, is finishing a year of court-ordered domestic violence intervention programme as part of his sentencing and reflected on his legal troubles while accepting the perseverance award at the 2024 Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards.
He said when picking up the trophy onstage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles on Friday: “I reckon folks want to know about this last year. “As a black man in the criminal justice system, I felt anger. I felt sadness, hurt, surprise.
“When they snatched me up out of my apartment in handcuffs, I didn’t feel like all that.
“I didn’t feel like Jonathan Majors... I felt like a little scared, weak boy. Despite the support and the evidence that was in my favour I knew [it] was bad. It was bad because of who I was and what I am.”
Majors also admitted to his “shortcomings” in his speech, adding: “We live in a world where men – black men in particular – are propped up as either superheroes or super villains.
“But I’ve come to realise, me, personally, I ain’t none of that.
“I’m imperfect. I have shortcomings, I acknowledge them. I love my craft.”
Revealing how his faith has been both “tested” and “has been strengthened by this testimony”, he went on: “I’ve sat in that pitch black, and what I’ve learned is that we catch a glimpse of light, you run as hard and as fast as you can towards it.”
Majors also used his speech to thank his family, girlfriend Meagan Good and celebrities including Will Smith, Tyler Perry and Whoopi Goldberg for their support.
Addressing Meagan, 42, directly, he said: “I love you with all my strength, with all my heart.
“You done carried me so, so, so, so many nights.”
Jonathan concluded by saying: “I received this award not just as an acknowledgement that I have persevered, but as a command to be there for others and to help them win and if their trials come.”
The fourth annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards were hosted by Tiffany Haddish, with designer Christian Louboutin getting the Innovator Award and rapper Cardi B the Inspiration Award.
A jury found Majors guilty in December of one count of misdemeanour third-degree assault and one of second-degree harassment in connection to a 2023 altercation with then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, 31, who testified as part of the trial.