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Grace Jabbari told a Manhattan courtroom today at Jonathan Majors’ domestic violence trial how she was frightened of the Loki actor even before the incident that saw him arrested back in March.
With a bible clutching Majors himself sitting just a few feet away, the self-described “professional dancer” took the stand just after 10 am ET in the second day of testimony in the case to detail how the two met over in the UK in 2021 during the filming of Marvel/Disney’s Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
“We spent every day together, maybe minus a few, within the next few months,” British national Jabbari said under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Kelli Galaway. “He told me he loved me very early on.”
Reiterating a lot of what ADA Michael Perez declared when he cited Majors “cruel and manipulative pattern of abuse” in his opening statement on Monday, Jabbari informed Judge Michael Gaffey’s courtroom this morning how predominant and aggressive her then boyfriend became after the initial flush of their romance dimmed.
Facing a Big Apple jury of three men and three women, Majors is looking at a year behind bars if found guilty on misdemeanor charges stemming from the late night incident in and around the actor’s Chelsea apartment on March 25. Jabbari, who turned herself in to police in October based on a June cross-complaint from Majors, is not being prosecuted by DA Alvin Bragg’s office, who said on October 26 “the matter is now closed and sealed.”
In her testimony today, Jabbari outlined how Majors “scared” her with vitriolic remarks about an ex-boyfriend, as well as berating her about going to the 2022 Glastonbury festival with friends. Preparing for his role as traumatized bodybuilder in the acclaimed Magazine Dreams, the actor was “quite stressed” she noted.
The occasionally visibly upset Jabbari also detailed a September 2022 occasion in the UK when Majors allegedly exploded after a visit from a friend of the dancer. The actor asked her not to tell anyone what happened, the two reconciled, but another rage filled incident occurred soon after – as Jabbari detailed on a recording of Majors played in court. Jabbari added that there were proclamations by the actor that he was contemplating suicide.
NYPD officers on the scene in March found a number of marks, “a laceration” and a finger fracture on Jabbari and arrested Majors. As defense attorney Priya Chaudhry made clear in her opening statement yesterday, the actor and his defense team have always insisted Majors is innocent. The defense says Jabbari was actually the violent one that spring night after flying into a jealous rage over texts from another woman on the actor’s phone
The defense is expected to question Jabbari later today.
After December 4th’s very different opening statements, jurors on Monday finally heard from their first witness, a digital evidence analyst for the DA’s office who pulled photographs from Majors’ iCloud account and compiled surveillance video tracking Majors’ and Jabbari’s movements on March 24-25. The jury wasn’t shown any video or photographs assembled by the analyst, Ryan Strick. However, the panel of half a dozen listened as Strick assured them of the material’s authenticity. Questioned by defense lawyer Seth Zuckerman, Strick said that he only retrieved video requested by prosecutors, and did not include surveillance footage of Jabbari dancing at a nightclub after her altercation with Majors.
Once anticipated to play a major role literally and figuratively in the next phase of the MCU, Majors appeared in the second season of Disney+’s Loki, which aired its finale on November 9. However, that was a rare highlight in what has been a distinctly professionally dimmed several months for the past Emmy nominee. The Lovecraft Country star was dropped by management company Entertainment 360 and publicist The Lede Company in April soon after his arrest in late March. Previously announced roles dried up for Majors, and ad campaigns for the U.S. Army and the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers were pulled.
In late October, Disney removed Magazine Dreams from its release schedule. With Majors in a starring performance that was generating Oscar buzz soon after its Sundance premiere, Searchlight picked up the Elijah Bynum directed title earlier this year – an acquisition that may sit on the shelf now for a long long time.
Sean Piccoli contributed to this report
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