Jonathan Majors was overcome with emotion while being honored at the fourth annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards.
Majors received the “Perseverance Award” on Friday, June 21, in Beverly Hills, for inspiring others in the face of adversity.
The Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania actor broke down in tears after picking up the award from spiritual life coach and TV personality, Iyanla Vanzant.
“I reckon folks want to know about the last year,” Majors said, referring to his arrest and conviction for assaulting then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in New York City.
“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,” the actor said as he looked toward a screen that showed some of roles he’s played.
“I didn’t feel like Jonathan Majors, Mr. Creed, Mr. Kang; I felt like a little scared, weak boy, despite the support and evidence that was in my favor, I knew shit was bad. And it was bad because of who I was and what I am. This is what happens to Black people all too often,” he continued.
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He explained what “perseverance” has meant over the past year.
“Perseverance means persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay. The God I serve has put me in a position where I’ve had to embody that word more than I wished or wanted to,” Majors stated. “We live in a world where men, Black men in particular, are propped up as either superheroes or super villains.”
The Creed III star was arrested in March 2023. In December, a New York City jury convicted him on two misdemeanor counts – one assault charge and one harassment charge.
During his sentencing in April, he avoided jail time but was ordered to complete a 52-week domestic violence prevention program and mental health treatments. As a result, he was dropped by Marvel Studios, as well as his publicist and talent manager.
Still, the actor told the audience on Friday that several celebrities supported him throughout the legal ordeal, including Will Smith, Tyler Perry, Whoopi Goldberg, filmmaker Deon Taylor, and his Lovecraft Country co-star Courtney B. Vance.
“The midnight text from my brother Will Smith, letting the homie know, ‘Hey I’m thinking about you man.’ Tyler Perry breathed life into me, just supporting and loving on people the way he does. David Oyelowo and his whole group of threads — I think maybe some of y’all are on that thread, I don’t participate because it’s crazy but I feel the love,” Majors said. “Deon and Roxanne Taylor, who gave me a production office when I was walking through the desert feeling lost and crazy, put a battery in my back, as he says. Courtney B. Vance has been with me from Lovecraft Country, my Uncle George forever.”
He went on to praise Goldberg and called his current girlfriend Meagan Good “my queen.”
“Whoopi Goldberg fed me and Meagan one day, we weren’t hungry but was over there hanging out and she breathed this light of wisdom and understanding and caring onto me and my queen. It was Whoopi who allowed us to understand the support of community,” he said.
Majors ended his remarks by vowing to support others.
“I command myself to be shoulders to our community, to my queen, to our industry, to our culture. And just to Ella, my baby girl, we’re gonna be alright, your father loves you. I love y’all, I thank you for this. To be in this room with these great entertainers, these great Black artists, woo. Ain’t no place like home,” he said.
The Impact Awards were created to honor influencers, celebrities and icons who’ve “made a lasting effect on the culture.”
Sharon Stone, Cardi B, Fat Joe, Ben Crump, Christian Louboutin, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Da Brat and her wife Jesseca Harris-Dupart were also honored.
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