Jonathan Majors’ Redemption Tour Is Nothing New In Hollywood. But We Shouldn’t Take The Bait.

Content warning: This article discusses domestic and sexual violence in a way that may be distressing to some readers.

Time and time again, we’ve seen the same Hollywood story play out: abusive men are protected, forgiven and redeemed in the name of talent, with little consequence for them or consideration for their victims. Jonathan Majors may be the latest example of this frustrating trend. 

This past weekend, Majors received the Perseverance Award (yes, you read that correctly) at the Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards. If you’ve never heard of this award, that’s because it’s brand new. While the Impact Awards is in its fourth year, this specific “honour” seems like it was made up just for the Majors’ benefit. This recognition may mark a turning point in Majors' embattled career, signalling the start of a redemption arc since his conviction six months ago for domestic violence. Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment following an altercation with ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in March 2023. Two dozen sources claimed to Rolling Stone that the actor’s alleged abuse goes back nearly a decade (Majors maintains his innocence in the Jabbari case and refutes the claims in Rolling Stone). In the months after his highly publicised trial, several studios and brands cut ties with the Hollywood actor. Marvel Studios dropped him from his role as Kang the Conqueror. He was cut from playing Dennis Rodman in a biopic tentatively titled film 48 Hours in Vegas. He lost his role in the film adaptation of the Walter Mosley novel The Man In My Basement, along with other projects that were in development. Before the abuse allegations and domestic violence conviction, the rising movie star was undoubtedly reaching the pinnacle of his career, having starred in hits like Creed III, The Harder They Fall, and the popular HBO series Lovecraft Country. 

Thanks in large part to the post-#MeToo climate, consequences came swiftly for Majors. Rightfully so, the future of his progressing career was in jeopardy after news broke of his domestic dispute. And after the conviction, his career looked like it was crumbling.  But the phenomenon of “cancel culture” has once again proved that it holds little weight when men are involved, especially those with power, or who are on the cusp of superstardom. While cancel culture is meant to hold celebrities accountable for their actions by reducing their cultural significance, it is usually not permanent. In this case, cancel culture seems to no longer apply to Majors, as he gladly accepted the Hollywood Unlocked honour for his "perseverance." 

It's problematic for Majors and the word “perseverance” to be used in the same sentence, let alone for him to be awarded for it. Merriam-Webster defines perseverance as the "continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition." When considering Majors' track record, it deserves questioning what exactly he persevered. His acting career spiralling downhill during his legal battle is a direct result of his decision to assault and harass his former partner, actions that were proven in a court of law. The "difficulties, failure, or opposition" he faced are not perseverance. They are the consequences of his unacceptable actions. While the focus has shifted to how much he had to endure, the real victim and survivor is Jabbari. Her well-being and livelihood were indeed altered and now she is forced to not only relive a traumatic experience but also witness her abuser receive praise for what unfolded from his wrongdoings. Yet, Hollywood never neglects perpetuating a never-ending cycle of failing to hold male entertainers accountable. 

Hollywood Unlocked platform has a history of controversy, and if you’ve been paying attention, it's not shocking that the celebrity gossip blog would reward bad behaviour with an honour their website describes as given to "an individual who has shown that no matter what adversity they face, they will continue to aspire to inspire." That description, and the award going to Jonathan Majors for facing the adversity of being a convicted abuser, is so ridiculous it seems silly to take any of it seriously. But the awards were attended by other celebs like Cardi B, Tiffany Haddish, Omarion, and Iyanla Vanzant and treated by other outlets as a legitimate honour.

Not to mention, Hollywood Unlocked, along with other gossip outlets like The Shade Room, have faced criticisms for enabling a toxic culture embedded in hatred, bullying, homophobia, transphobia, and overall "shade." While Hollywood Unlocked and other gossip blogs on the Internet don’t deserve the attention or the serious coverage these awards received (entertainment outlets like Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline all covered the show), the public response of frustration over Majors' unsettling recognition lends itself to the conversation of how low publications are willing to go for clicks. And it should be noted that these are the same outlets responsible for the rise of Majors in the first place. The media (including here at Unbothered) pegged Majors as the next Black Hollywood golden boy — of course, before we knew what we know now. The same system that propped him up is the one now aiding in letting him back in. 

Majors' resurgence onto the Hollywood scene since his conviction is unsurprising, nor is it not shocking that the film industry seems ready to embrace him with open arms. On Thursday, Variety reported that the entertainer landed his first role since his abuse conviction, starring in the revenge thriller Merciless. After he was sentenced to a 12-month domestic violence intervention program in April, Majors has made an effort to rebuild his image and it seems as if he’s using his current relationship with actress Meagan Good to do so. Majors and Good, who stood by his side throughout his trial, have attended several red carpets together. The couple has taken those flashy moments and interviews to showcase their love for each other (and conveniently avoid speaking on anything related to Majors’ domestic violence case).

Good should not be responsible for the actions of her partner, but it has been fascinating to watch her play the PR game for his benefit and willingly participate as a pawn to rehab his image in Hollywood. Majors opened up about the charges in an exclusive sit-down interview with ABC News back in January where he continued to deny the allegations and had this to say about Good: “She’s an angel. She’s held me down like Coretta [Scott King]. I’m blessed to have her. As Ineye Komonibo wrote for Unbothered after this interview dropped, Majors references to Coretta Scott-King display “an uncomfortable fixation on the late civil rights activist that may hint at a particularly heightened sense of self-importance” and “in likening himself and his partners to Martin and Coretta, the suggestion is that Majors’ dream and his cause are worth any woman doing whatever it takes in order for him to succeed — even to her own detriment.” That self importance and narcissistic tendency was on full display at The Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards where he used his Jason Lee-given platform to not only plead his case but galvanise the crowd for pity. 

“Perseverance means what? Perseverance means persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay,” Majors said through tears during his acceptance speech. “And the God I serve has put me in a position where I’ve had to embody that word more than I wished or wanted,” he continued. “We live in a world where men, Black men in particular, are propped up as either superheroes or supervillains. I’ve come to realise, I ain’t none of that…I’m imperfect. I have shortcomings. I acknowledged them. I love my craft. I love my daughter, my family, my dog, my workout buddies. I’m just that guy whose faith has been tested and strengthened by this testimony.”

As the actor launches the early stages of his career comeback, it is unlikely that he'll reach the same high-profile status as before. And while it is possible for someone to change and potentially receive atonement for their bad actions, there would need to be ownership and accountability for those actions first. So far, we’ve seen Majors lament his consequences, imply that he’s been treated unfairly and lose out on roles for a mere six months before making a comeback.

It seems that regaining the trust of Black audiences may be the first step in Majors' redemption tour. Black and diverse audiences have proven their spending power by being the driving force behind the film industry making millions. In its opening weekend, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, a comedy action film starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, profited a whopping $56 million domestically. According to the LA Times, 44% of the Bad Boys audience was Black, and 26% were Hispanic and Latino. To date, that amount has increased to $227 million worldwide, making the Bad Boy series franchise worth $1 billion globally. Those massive profits prove the spending power of Black and audiences of colour. There’s no doubt that Majors knows this. During his tearful 15-minute acceptance speech, Majors' made it a point to call out beloved Black actors whose names hold weight in Black communities. Will Smith, Tyler Perry, Courtney B. Vance, and Whoopi Goldberg were among his star-studded list of shoutouts. By naming these generational and household talents, Majors is attempting to manipulate his way back into the good graces of Black audiences. As he works overtime to save his career, Majors is sending a subtle message that if these influential actors can move past his transgressions, then audiences should too. Will they take the bait? 

If you or anyone you know has experienced sexual or domestic violence and is in need of support, please call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), the National Sexual Assault Domestic Family Violence Service.