Will Jonathan Majors Get a Second Chance Like These White Actors?

Stephanie Holland
·3 min read
166
Photo: Jon Kopaloff (Getty Images)
Photo: Jon Kopaloff (Getty Images)
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For the last few years, Jonathan Majors’ career has been on a meteoric rise. Memorable roles in “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” “Lovecraft Country” and “The Harder They Fall” led to him making the major jump to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was cast as Kang the Conqueror, the big bad for the Multiverse Saga, meaning he’d appear in multiple films and TV series. As if that wasn’t enough, he delivered a star-making performance in “Creed III,” firmly cementing him as one of Hollywood’s hottest rising stars.

However, that all came crashing down on March 26, when the actor was arrested for allegedly assaulting his ex–girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, in what NYPD officers called a “domestic dispute.” He was charged with two counts of assault in the third degree, harassment and aggravated harassment. In the months between his arrest and the December trial, there was endless conversation about him being fired by Marvel, and he buzzy awards contender “Magazine Dreams” has been indefinitely shelved.

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It’s not just about Marvel. His work in “Creed III” highlights how exceptionally talented he is at delivering layered character development. Producers and directors will have to wonder if audiences will still be interested in seeing him in hard-hitting, gritty roles after hearing the shocking details of his two-year relationship with Jabbari. Even when someone is playing a detestable villain, viewers need to be able to establish some sort of connection with the actor and character. For some people, myself included, violence against women is a deal breaker. That being said, being a problematic man doesn’t necessarily mean your career is instantly over.

Can Jonathan Majors’ Career Recover?

As we’ve seen countless times in the past, in Hollywood, problematic men are afforded multiple opportunities to redeem themselves. The one caveat in that statement is that those rules usually apply to white men.

The best example of this is Mel Gibson. He’s been caught on tape making antisemitic, racist and misogynistic comments, and was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence in 2010. Despite these very public transgressions, he’s continued to have a successful career, most recently appearing in Peacock’s “John Wick” prequel series, “The Continental.” Comedian Louis CK, who was caught in a sexual harassment scandal, continues to tour and win awards. Warner Bros supported Ezra Miller and released “The Flash,” even though they were arrested multiple times, accused of harassment and grooming in the lead up to the movie’s premiere.

Majors faces up to one year in prison, with sentencing scheduled for Feb. 6. The “Devotion” star is a talented actor, so someone will eventually cast him in their project. The real question is whether that opportunity will lead to others? Will he rely on Black audiences to accept him back before he tries to once again take on more mainstream roles? Frankly, this route is probably his best chance at redemption.

As we’ve already seen happen on social media, people seem much more concerned with the racial elements of the case than the fact that he assaulted a woman he supposedly cared for. Jonathan Majors will probably bounce back, but it’s likely he won’t reach the same superstar status he was previously headed for.

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