Citing Her ‘Abusive’ Past, Iyanla Vanzant Presents Jonathan Majors With ‘Perseverance Award’

June 25, 2024 4

(L-R) Karen Clark Sheard, Jonathan Majors and Iyanla Vanzant attend the 4th Annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards at The Beverly Hilton on June 21, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Arnold Turner / Getty

Inspirational speaker and lawyer Iyanla Vanzant cited her own “abusive” past while presenting an award for perseverance to actor Jonathan Majors, who is just months removed from being criminally convicted for domestic violence.

Majors won the “Perseverence Award” at the Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards on Friday when he teared up and became emotional while accepting the accolade.

But before becoming misty, Vanzant had some words for the audience and Majors in an apparent reference to the actor’s brush with the criminal justice system for assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

“As a woman who spent nine years in an abusive marriage, I am both humbled and honored to present this award, the Perseverance Award, to my brother Jonathan Majors,” Vanzant said before predicting later that God “will continue to show you mercy for the excellence that you bring to the mastery of your craft, despite the opinion of human beings. Persevere, my brother, because my friends’ mercy and grace are willing and strong enough to get you to the other side of any cancellation. Because God is forgiving.”

Majors, through tears, humbly accepted the award and addressed his conviction in his speech.

“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,” Majors said while accepting the award in a speech that reference some of the notable movie characters he’s portrayed in past films. “I didn’t feel like Jonathan Majors. Mr. Creed. Mr. Kang… I felt like a little, scared, weak boy, despite the support and the evidence that was in my favor. I knew s— was bad. It was bad because of who I was and what I am.”

BREAKING: Jonathan Majors takes the stage and immediately breaks down in tears as he accepts a Perseverance Award. He’s comforted by presenter Iyanla Vanzant who kisses his forehead and cheeks, rubs his shoulders and dries his tears. He first offers thanks to “Lord and savior… pic.twitter.com/jVytEQnfgf

— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) June 22, 2024

In case you missed it, a jury on on Dec. 18, 2023, found Majors guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend following two weeks of testimony at his domestic violence trial in New York City. Majors, 34, was found guilty of assault and harassment but acquitted of separate assault and aggravated harassment charges.

A judge and attorneys all agreed that Majors didn’t deserve jail time.

Instead, Majors was ordered to complete a 52-week, in-person batterer’s intervention program in Los Angeles and must continue with mental health therapy.

Majors’ ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, was granted a full protective order, which could lead to a year in jail for the actor if he violates it.

What was Majors accused of doing?

The NYPD arrested Majors outside of his apartment in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan on March 25, 2023.

He and Jabbari got into a dispute as they were inside a cab riding to Manhattan from Brooklyn. Majors’ defense attorney claimed Jabbari “was attempting to steal” Majors’ phone when the incident occurred. The driver ultimately testified during the trial that Majors was a victim.

After the incident, Jabbari told police that she had suffered a broken finger and a laceration behind her ear, but Majors’ lawyer said there is video footage to prove that the woman’s statement was “a complete lie.” Security footage obtained by TMZ showed Jabbari in a nightclub shortly after the incident with Majors using her right hand normally — the same hand that she claimed Majors injured before they parted ways earlier in the night.

Jabbari was even arrested and charged with misdemeanor counts of assault and criminal mischief before Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said it “declined to prosecute the case against Grace Jabbari because it lacks prosecutorial merit.”

Since Majors’ arrest, he has been dropped by his reps and his management company, Entertainment 360. Immediately following the verdict, it was announced that Majors lost his lucrative job with Marvel Studios.

Last week, ahead of his award, it was reported that Majors had finally landed another major studio role.

Jonathan Majors Says ‘Angel’ Girlfriend Was Like ‘Coretta’ Scott King During His Trial

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