Actress Selma Blair is facing both federal and state charges after a violent episode aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York over the weekend, authorities said.
Blair, 54, was a passenger on Delta Flight 938 from Los Angeles International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday night when she allegedly struck one flight attendant and bit another before attempting to open the cabin door while the plane was still in the air. Crew members restrained her before the aircraft landed around 11 p.m. ET.
Port Authority police removed Blair from the plane while she screamed, and she allegedly kicked an officer in the head during the process. She was taken to a New York City hospital for evaluation, where she allegedly attacked a nurse as well. Both flight attendants reported injuries, and one was treated at a hospital.
Audio obtained by TMZ captured Blair repeatedly screaming “No! No!” as an alarm sounded in the background.
A representative for Blair told Variety the actress had suffered a medical emergency.
“Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct. Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition,” the representative said.
Blair, who has previously disclosed a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, has had a similar episode before. In 2016, she was removed from a flight on a stretcher while her 4-year-old son watched. She later described that incident as a “total psychotic blackout” and attributed it to combining a glass of wine with medication.
“It was horrible and frightening and I had empathy for myself actually afterwards because it was actually so out of character for me, especially because I’m a mother,” Blair said at the time.
A Delta Air Lines spokesperson addressed Sunday’s incident in a statement.
“Delta has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first,” the spokesperson said.
Authorities said Blair now faces federal charges stemming from the alleged assaults on the flight crew, as well as state charges related to the alleged attacks on the police officer and the hospital nurse.
