Selma Blair breaks silence on arrest after mid-flight meltdown: ‘There is much more to this story’

Selma Blair says there’s “much more to this story” in her first major statement since being arrested and charged following an alleged violent outburst aboard a Delta flight.

“Since Sunday night, the public account of what happened to Selma aboard a flight to New York has been built almost entirely on a police statement and a decade-old headline,” her rep said in a lengthy statement given to People.

“A handful of journalists have taken the time to report on Selma as a human being rather than a headline, and we are grateful to them. But fair reporting has been the exception, and in the space left by our silence, speculation has hardened into something being treated as fact. We can, however, correct the record on a few points already in public circulation. Selma Blair experienced a medical emergency on the flight. There was no attempt to open the door of the aircraft. Selma did not intend to harm anyone,” the rep continued.

On Oct. 11, Blair, 54, was traveling on a Delta flight from LAX in Los Angeles to JFK in New York City.

During the flight, the “Cruel Intentions” actress allegedly became physically disruptive and had to be restrained by the flight crew.

Selma Blair (seen above leaving court with a lawyer on Oct. 12) has spoken out following her arrest. AP Photo/Ryan Murphy
The “Legally Blonde” actress (seen above with her luggage in 2022) got physically disruptive on a Delta flight from LA to NYC. GC Images

Per 911 audio, a pilot called for medical assistance and law enforcement to be on hand when the plane landed to help with an “abusive” passenger.

“A bloody nose as well as some bite marks,” he said in audio obtained by TMZ.

“Could you pass on to the folks at JFK, we’d like to have some medical personnel at the gates for a couple of [flight attendants] involved in the passenger incident,” the pilot said.

“They just need to get a couple of things looked at,” he added.

Blair (seen above in a selfie) had to be restrained mid-air. selmablair/Instagram
A pilot called for law enforcement and medical personnel to be at the gate upon arrival. (Pictured: Blair and her dog in June.) selmablair/Instagram

TMZ also obtained audio of Blair screaming after she was removed from the plane and restrained.

She reportedly kicked a police officer on the way to the hospital and allegedly assaulted a nurse at the medical facility.

In a previous statement, Blair’s rep told Page Six she “experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct” and is currently in “stable condition.”

In an exclusive statement to Page Six, Delta Air Lines blasted Blair for her “unruly” and “unlawful” behavior, saying they have a “zero tolerance” for it.

The “Cruel Intentions” star (seen outside Hotel Muehlebach in June) was charged with two counts of second-degree assault. selmablair/Instagram
She pleaded not guilty to the charges. (Pictured: A selfie of Blair.) selmablair/Instagram

On Oct. 12, Blair entered a not guilty plea after being charged with two counts of second-degree assault.

Her attorney, Shawn Barnes, blamed the mid-air incident on Blair allegedly missing her multiple sclerosis medication and that she fell and hit her head.

Barnes added that his client boarded the flight after working “extensive hours and exhaustive hours” on set in the days prior to the trip.

Blair’s attorney blamed the mid-air incident on her missing her multiple sclerosis medication and hitting her head. (Pictured: Blair in court with her lawyer.) Barry Williams/ New York Daily News/Pool
She is facing two to seven years behind bars if convicted. (Pictured: Blair in court.) Barry Williams/ New York Daily News/Pool

“These factors coupled with the altitude, resulted in a state of severe confusion and disorientation,” Barnes said.

In the spokesperson’s statement given to People, they added that “the suggestion by anyone that Selma does not have multiple sclerosis is outrageous. Her diagnosis has been public since 2018. What Selma has been able to do physically in the years since is nothing short of a miracle. She still has bad days, and she lives with pain daily. Selma also has pseudobulbar affect, a neurological condition secondary to her MS, which bears directly on how a medical episode presents to people who do not know her. For the same reason, she travels with a service dog who doesn’t leave her side, and the authorities took her dog from her.”

“[Blair] has worked on seven film and television projects in 2026 alone, only a couple of which have been announced. She has launched a skin care line, a clothing line, and a line of eye-glass readers, each built around the idea of beauty and utility for people whose bodies do not always cooperate. She remains a visible and relentless advocate for disability rights, for the MS community, and this year for the Jewish community in the face of rising antisemitism, including from the stage of the ADL’s State of the Arts event at The Jewish Museum two weeks ago. Selma had never been arrested before Sunday night.”

The statement concluded, “There is much more to this story than has been reported, and we ask to consider the entirety of the facts before rushing to judgment, whether in the courtroom or in the court of public opinion.”

The “Legally Blonde” actress is facing two to seven years behind bars if convicted.

Blair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in August 2018; however, she revealed last year that she was “truly in remission” from the chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disorder.

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