Less than two months after a jury returned a guilty verdict in his assault and harassment case, Jonathan Majors has been accused of abuse by two more women.
The women, Emma Duncan and Maura Hooper, who say they dated Majors between 2013 and 2019, accused the former Marvel star of physical and emotional abuse during their time as graduate theater students at Yale. Majors' attorney described the relationships as a “love triangle” that he regrets being in.
They described Majors as “a controlling and threatening figure who isolated them from their friends and their careers,” according to a new report from the New York Times. Duncan, Majors' ex-fiancée, accused the actor of strangling her, pulling her and causing bruises. Hooper, who became pregnant and agreed to an abortion while seeing Majors, also said he had emotionally abused her. Both Duncan and Hooper told the New York Times that they “experienced his hot and cold tendencies” and his “manipulative behavior that they have come to understand as love bombing.”
The women's allegations against the 34-year-old actor were presented in a New York court before his trial in December to show a pattern of behavior, but the judge in Majors' case did not allow the statements to become evidence, reported the New York Times. . (The newspaper obtained the statements before the trial and said it later confirmed the interactions by contacting several of the women's friends and with other documents and records.)
Additionally, the “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “Creed III” actor was accused of a “history of volatility” while allegedly repeatedly confronting female co-workers on the set of the HBO drama “Lovecraft Country.” which led to a complaint to the network.
In a Friday statement to the Los Angeles Times, Majors' attorney, Priya Chaudhry, described the actor's relationships with Duncan and Hooper as “toxic” and admitted that he “said hurtful things” and was “embarrassed by his jealous behavior.”
Chaudhry denied most of the allegations of physical abuse, including a threat to strangle Duncan in July 2016, and said Majors was unaware of the HBO complaint. An HBO spokeswoman declined to comment to the New York Times.
“These relationships were between young theater students and they all began with mutual intensity. To the extent that this is called 'love bombing', everyone happily participated and 'love bombed' each other by writing poetry, giving flowers, writing love letters and preparing meals for each other,” Chaudhry said, adding that while Majors and Duncan's relationship “was mutually emotionally volatile, he was not physically abusive to her.”
In response to Duncan's October 2016 claim that Majors allegedly threw her into a mailbox, hit her and threatened suicide, her attorney said she “has always struggled with depression and suicidal ideation.”
“This was a very painful episode for him in which he was trying to hurt himself. Mrs Duncan was physically trying to prevent him from hurting himself and during this, they both fell into a letterbox,” she said.
Regarding his relationship with Hooper, Chaudhry said: “Mr. Majors was young and insecure when he began his relationship with Mrs. Hooper. Looking back, he feels embarrassed by some of his jealous behavior and has been addressing these lifelong personal depression issues with counseling. Like Ms. Hooper, Mr. Majors endured a long list of troubling behaviors from Ms. Hooper, but instead of focusing on others, he chooses to take responsibility for her role in this toxic relationship.”
In 2020, Majors starred alongside Jurnee Smollett and Courtney B. Vance in “Lovecraft Country,” a two-time Emmy-winning series that was canceled in 2021 after one season. It was announced as Majors' first television project as a lead actor.
The New York Times said that during principal filming of the series in 2019, three female crew members said they had disturbing experiences with Majors on set. A first assistant director of the horror drama said he told her she didn't belong in the production, while another assistant director, identified by the newspaper as a woman of color, said the actor made a derogatory racial comment about the appearance of her. . Along with a third woman who was a production assistant, they filed a complaint with HBO, the New York Times reported.
Majors' attorney said the actor was unaware of the complaint to the network, adding that he “did not make any derogatory racial comments about anyone.”
“Furthermore, he has never been told that anyone objected to his behavior. Majors is a Method actor, highly respected for his ability to immerse himself in character. Countless female producers, co-stars and members on set can attest to his professionalism,” Chaudhry said.
But several female crew members also said that these types of incidents made it difficult for them to do their jobs and that he treated women differently than their male counterparts on set. They warned each other that he could be controversial and to tread carefully with him. (Chaudhry also denied those allegations, saying he “proactively discussed” a particular incident involving a sandwich he threw in the trash and worked to make amends.)
A person who worked with Majors on “Lovecraft Country” previously told the Los Angeles Times that he was shocked when he learned of the initial allegations against the actor following his arrest in March 2023.
“He was the kindest, gentlest person I have ever met. “This was a big shock to me,” said the person, who did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue in the industry. “It was really very early in his career and he exploded very quickly.”
The person also said they never heard or observed any of the behavior that emerged on social media following Majors' arrest. While this individual said there are other people they could easily see being accused of such an incident or having heard of one, Majors was not among them. “Seriously, he's crazy.”
The person said they were waiting to hear something that would contradict the charges and accusations and say that this whole episode was some kind of mistake. “I was really hoping to hear something about what happened that would be [the opposite] of what had come out,” they said.
In December, Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment charges in a New York court after a nearly two-week trial. The “Creed III” actor was found guilty of one count of third-degree assault and one count of second-degree harassment against accuser and ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. Majors, who has steadfastly maintained his innocence, was acquitted of a separate charge of aggravated assault and harassment. Hours after the jury's verdict, he was fired by Disney, which owns Marvel.
Majors was scheduled to be sentenced earlier this week but, due to motions filed by the actor's legal team, sentencing was postponed until April 8. He faces up to a year in prison, but could also be sentenced to probation.
In his first televised interview since the verdict, Majors – who was a shining star before his arrest over Jabbari allegations — He told ABC News in early January that he hopes he still has a future in Hollywood.
“I pray I can do it. “It is God’s plan and God’s timing.” Despite the conviction, she said he felt he deserved a second chance. “I hope other people think that.”
Times staff writers Alexandra Del Rosario and Greg Braxton contributed to this report.
