Selma Blair's on-off boyfriend has appealed for prayers for the Hollywood actress following an alleged violent confrontation aboard a flight that left her facing criminal assault charges.
The Cruel Intentions star, 54, was reportedly restrained by flight attendants while travelling on a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York on Sunday (11.10.26.)
The incident resulted in emergency services being called to John F Kennedy International Airport, with Selma subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree assault after allegedly injuring airline staff and assaulting a police officer and nurse.
Her boyfriend, businessman Andy Kiernan, who began dating the actress in 2024, has now addressed the incident in a message published on Instagram Stories.
He wrote: “Pray for Selma.”
Andy added: “She has a good heart. She hasn’t yet got the help she needs.”
He continued: “Pray that she does. She’s a human being like the rest of us.”
Andy also asked his followers to pray for Selma's 15-year-old son, Arthur, whom she shares with her former partner, fashion designer Jason Bleick.
The incident concerning Selma occurred during a Delta flight travelling from Los Angeles International Airport to JFK, when the actress allegedly became physically disruptive and was restrained by members of the cabin crew.
According to emergency communications obtained by TMZ, the aircraft's pilot requested medical assistance and police officers to meet the flight upon landing.
The pilot reported several people had been injured during an encounter with a passenger.
He said: “A bloody nose as well as some bite marks.”
The pilot added: “Could you pass on to the folks at JFK, we’d like to have some medical personnel at the gates for a couple of (flight attendants) involved in the passenger incident.”
Following the aircraft's arrival, Selma allegedly kicked a police officer while being transported to hospital and subsequently assaulted a nurse at the medical facility.
A representative for the actress told Page Six she “experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct”.
The spokesperson also confirmed Selma was in “stable condition” following the incident.
Selma appeared in court on Monday (12.10.26) and entered a not guilty plea to two counts of second-degree assault.
Her lawyer, Shawn Barnes, attributed the incident to a combination of circumstances, including the actress allegedly missing medication prescribed for her multiple sclerosis and suffering a fall in which she struck her head.
Shawn also told the court Selma had been working “extensive hours and exhaustive hours” on set in the days preceding the flight.
The actress could face a prison sentence of between two and seven years if convicted.
Selma became widely recognised for playing Cecile Caldwell in the 1999 teen drama Cruel Intentions, alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar, 49, Ryan Phillippe, 52, and Reese Witherspoon, 50.
She subsequently appeared as Vivian Kensington in the 2001 comedy Legally Blonde, starring Reese as aspiring lawyer Elle Woods.
Her other prominent roles include Liz Sherman in Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy films, opposite Ron Perlman, 76, and appearances in The Sweetest Thing, The Fog and After.
Selma has also appeared in television productions including Anger Management, alongside Charlie Sheen, 61, and American Crime Story, in which she portrayed Kris Jenner, 70, in the acclaimed series The People v. O. J. Simpson.
The actress publicly disclosed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018 and subsequently documented her experiences with the neurological condition in the 2021 documentary Introducing, Selma Blair.
She also competed in the American television series Dancing with the Stars in 2022, withdrawing from the competition because of health concerns.
Selma has continued working in film and television while speaking publicly about living with multiple sclerosis, including her experiences of treatment and periods of remission.