Unearthed audio has reportedly brought to light Jonathan Majors allegedly admitting to strangling an ex-girlfriend.
Rolling Stone has claimed to have heard a recording of the US actor telling Grace Jabbari that he had been “aggressive” with her.
In April 2024, the actor avoided jail after a New York court handed the Marvel and Creed star a probation sentence. The 35-year-old could have served up to a year behind bars after being convicted of assaulting and harassing Ms Jabbari.
The Supreme Court in Manhattan ordered Majors to complete a 52-week domestic violence intervention programme and also mandated mental health therapy.
Majors has consistently denied assaulting Ms Jabbari but is reported to have acknowledged the incident in the audio obtained by Rolling Stone.
The incident, which can be heard online, is said to relate to a 2022 fight between the pair when they were living together in London.
“I’m ashamed I’ve ever— ” Majors is said to have told her, before cutting himself off. “I’ve never [been] aggressive with a woman before. I’ve never aggressed a woman — I aggressed you.”
Ms Jabbari said: “You strangled me and pushed me against the car.”
“Yes, all those things are under ‘aggressed,’ yeah.” Majors said. “That’s never happened to me.”
The Standard has approached Majors’s representatives for comment.
“My hands have never struck a woman, ever,” he told ABC News in January 2024.
Marvel Studios and the Walt Disney Corporation severed ties with him after his conviction of third-degree assault.
Justice Michael Gaffey gave the conditional discharge after stating that “both sides” did not think a prison sentence was necessary.
British dancer Ms Jabbari said she “hopes that her actions will inspire other survivors to speak out and seek justice”.
She had worked with Majors in 2021 on the set of Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, released in February, one month before his arrest.
Majors played Kang The Conqueror in the film, his latest major production following several hits including Creed III, Devotion, Lovecraft Country, The Harder They Fall and Da 5 Bloods.
Ms Jabbari said Majors twisted her arm into a position that caused her “excruciating pain”, striking her in the head in a confrontation that began after he received romantic texts.
Majors had denied the assault and previously did not appear to rule out appealing the guilty verdict.
Who is Jonathan Majors?
Majors was regarded as a rising star in Hollywood following roles in Creed III and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. He first gained recognition for his performance in the independent film The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
Born in Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California, in 1989, Majors spent his early years on the Vandenberg Space Force Base with his mother, a pastor, older sister, and younger brother. His father served in the United States Air Force but was absent for much of Majors’ childhood.
In 2020, Majors said: “Our father, who loved us dearly, just kind of disappeared one day … and he resurfaced 17 years later.” Majors has since reconnected with his father.
The family moved around various cities in Texas, including Dallas, Georgetown and Cedar Hill. He attended Cedar Hill High School, where he was active in theatre, and graduated from Duncanville High School in 2008.
Watching Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight sparked Majors' passion for theatre. He was particularly inspired by Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker, identifying with the character’s internal conflict and moral ambiguity. This performance deepened his understanding of the complexities of good and evil and motivated him to pursue acting to inspire others like Ledger had inspired him.
He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts before studying at the Yale School of Drama, where he graduated with an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in acting in 2016.
His most recent films include Da 5 Bloods (2020), The Harder They Fall (2021), and Devotion (2022). He also stars in Magazine Dreams (2023), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim.
Why was Jonathan Majors convicted?
Majors was convicted in December 2023 of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, whom he dated from 2021 to 2023.
Jabbari said the incident caused her emotional and physical pain and occurred after she received a message from another person reading: “I wish I was kissing you right now.”
Majors is said to have become enraged and violently confronted Jabbari in the backseat of a car in New York City. He allegedly grabbed her, twisted her arm and hit her head, resulting in a fractured finger, bruising and a cut behind her ear.
The actor denied the charges, but after a two-week trial, he was found guilty of third-degree assault and second-degree harassment. However, he was acquitted of intentional assault and aggravated harassment.
Since receiving a probationary sentence in April 2024, his future in the industry looks uncertain. Marvel Studios quickly severed ties with him, removing him from his high-profile role as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Majors expressed shock at the conviction and said he hoped to rebuild his acting career. "I pray that I do," he told ABC News.
Amid the legal battle, Majors found support in actress Meagan Good, whom he began dating in 2023. The couple are now engaged and Good attended his court hearings with him.
Majors told the Hollywood Reporter in March 2025 that he was the victim of sexual abuse “from both men and women” from the age of nine.
From people who are supposed to look after you, in the absence of a father. I was f**ked up,” he said.
Majors explained that addressing his trauma has allowed him to reflect on his past actions.
“There’s no justification, but seeking help has given me insights into myself,” he shared.
He added that he had embraced accountability and taken control of “writing [his] own story”.
Majors said: “Will I follow the path of self-destruction, blaming the world or hating myself during struggles? Will I deny everything?
“Those stories are not helpful.”
Instead, Majors intends to “face challenges, learn from them, process them, and grow”.
